Ukrainian Clinical Guidance
Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

Millions of Ukrainian nationals have fled their country, primarily to neighboring countries, for safety reasons. Refer to Operational Data Portal: Ukraine Refugee Situation for the latest. The U.S. government has committed to admitting displaced Ukrainians to the U.S. through the USCIS: Uniting for Ukraine program, launched on April 21, 2022. As part of this program, U.S. based family members, friends, and community members are able sponsor Ukrainians to come to the U.S. with humanitarian parolee status. Both sponsors and beneficiaries need to meet eligibility criteria to participate in the program.

Other Ukrainians have come through the southern border and have been given humanitarian parolee status. Ukrainians residing in the U.S. may also qualify for USCIS: Temporary Protected Status. We also expect a number of Ukrainians will enter the U.S. as refugees through the Lautenberg program, as referenced at U.S. Department of State: Welcoming Ukrainian Nationals to the United States. The legal pathway through which Ukrainians arrive to the U.S. impacts their eligibility for benefits and the health requirements associated with their immigration. 

Brief overview for clinicians caring for Ukrainian new arrivals

Health screening and care

Please refer to the latest eligibility guidance in the Benefits and eligibility section.

• CDC: Guidance for Providers Caring for Newcomers Arriving through the Uniting for Ukraine Program (PDF)
  Update Alert with recommendations; Aug. 25, 2022.
• CDC: Interim Clinical Guidance for Providers Caring for Newcomers from Ukraine (PDF)
  Update Alert with recommendations; May 10, 2022.
• CDC: Uniting for Ukraine: Information for TB Programs
  Resources and information for TB programs on the Uniting for Ukraine program.
• CareRef: Clinical Assessment for Refugees
  CareRef is a tool that guides clinicians through conducting a routine post-arrival medical screening of a newly arrived refugee to the U.S. The output of this tool is based on the current CDC Domestic Refugee Screening Guidance. CareRef recommends screening tests and other preventive care based on the demographic and geographic factors that contribute to risk.
• CDC: TB Centers of Excellence
  Four TB Centers of Excellence for Training, Education, and Medical Consultation (TB COEs), regionally organized to serve states, offer free medical consultation warmlines:
  • UCSF Curry International Tuberculosis Center
  • Rutgers University Global Tuberculosis Institute
  • Mayo Clinic Center for Tuberculosis
  • Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center

Vaccination

• Ask the Experts: Documenting Vaccination
  FAQs from Immunize.org that includes information on immigrants without vaccination records, how to interpret overseas vaccination records, links to names of vaccines used outside of the U.S., and links to foreign language Vaccine Information Statements (VISs).
  • CDC Pink Book Appendix B: Quick Chart of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Terms in Multiple Languages (PDF)
  • VaxRef
    An interactive web application that helps newcomers and clinicians translate immunization records to English.
• Immunity Community: Fostering COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Russian- and Ukrainian-Speaking Communities
  This free online continuing education course is designed to help providers better understand vaccine hesitancy and develop strategies to initiate conversations about the COVID-19 vaccine with Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking patients.

Webinars and trainings

• Ukrainian Newcomers | Trainings: Minnesota Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health
  Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees: Tuberculosis webinar recorded on Dec. 1, 2022.
• PolicyLab: Refugee Health Care in the United States
  This webinar examines common models of refugee health care and how we can use tools to standardize care for all refugees.

Household health and safety

• Medical Guidance to Prepare for and Promote Household Health and Safety When Hosting Ukrainian Families and Individuals (PDF)

Health profiles

• Colorado Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health Infographics: New Arrival Health Overviews
• Washington State Department of Health: Ukrainian Health Profile and Screening Guidance: Adults (PDF)
• Washington State Department of Health: Ukrainian Health Profile and Screening Guidance: Pediatrics (PDF)

Translated materials

• Medline Plus: Health Information in Ukrainian
• NRC-RIM: COVID-19 Resources in Ukrainian
• Ethnomed: Ukrainian Health and Culture Resources
  Includes webinars on psychological first aid and support for parents and children in response to disasters.

Benefits and eligibility

Learn more about benefit eligibility:

• Office of Refugee Resettlement: Policy Letter 22-13 Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees Eligible for ORR Benefits and Services
• Office of Refugee Resettlement: Benefits for Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees
• Office of Refugee Resettlement: Policy Letter 24-01 Continued Services for Humanitarian Parolees from Ukraine with a Pending Re-Parole Application
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Health Coverage Options for Certain Ukrainian Nationals (PDF)

Other resources

• Welcome.us: Ukrainian sponsorship program information for sponsors and community members
  Introductory information about the sponsorship program and resources to use with newcomers.
• Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE): Community Partners and Sponsors
  Introductory information about sponsorship, refugee populations, and resources to use with newcomers.
• CORE: Ukrainian Backgrounder
  Historical, political, and cultural information intended to cultivate a general understanding of Ukrainians who are arriving in the U.S.
• Refugee Health Community Partners and Sponsors
  MDH Refugee Health Program assistance for navigating health resources and coordinating the health examination.
• Health Requirements for Arrivals with Humanitarian Parolee Status
  More information on newcomer health requirements associated with parole status.