Blong Xiong, Fresno Center for New Americans (FCNA), HRTF Assessment Team Leader

 

Susan Anderson, County Board of Supervisors-Board Chair

 

Thuan Nguyen, Chief, Refugee Programs Branch

 

Ed Moreno, M.D., Public Health Officer

 

Long Thao, M.D., Merced

 

Mao Her-Florez, D.D.S., Fresno

 

Mymee Her, Ph.D. Psychologist

 

Tony Vang, Ed. D., FUSD Trustee

 

Sandy Cha, C SU-Fresno Student-Wells Fargo Representative

 

Pao Xiong, Detective-Fresno Police Department

 

Kim Thompson, Housing Coordinator- Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministry (FIRM)

 

 

Chang Vang Xiong, V.P.-Lao Veterans of America

 

Doua Vu, Title III Resource Specialist- Fresno Unified School District-HRTF Co-Chair

 

Pat Roehl, Title III Coordinator- Fresno Unified School District

 

Blong Lee, Business Plan Specialist- Fresno EOC

 

Charles Vang, Board President-Lao Family of Fresno, Inc.

 

Lue N. Yang, Executive Director-Fresno Center for New Americans (FCNA)-HRTF Chair

 

Pheng Lo, Executive Director-Lao Family of Stockton, Inc.-HRTF Co-Chair

 

Xia Kao Vang, Executive Director- Sacramento Lao Family Community

 

Pao Ly-Staff Analyst-Fresno County E&TA

 

Allison Ash, News Reporter- Channel 47

 

Mike Avila, Cameraman-Channel 47

 

 

This report provides the initial findings of the delegation to Wat Tham Krabok, Thailand.  A more comprehensive report will follow these initial findings.  We hope that this initial summary report will provide all our partners and interested agencies with some basic information about the conditions experienced by the residents at the Wat. It is our hope that this report will help organize efforts to support these refugees as they relocate to the US, and ease the transition of these new Hmongs into their new community, and help  them to a path that leads to self-sufficiency and contributors to their new community, yet valuing and understanding the cultural issues that accompanies this group.

 

This task force wanted to make sure that duplication of efforts are as limited as possible.  We believe that all these reports and efforts to benefit the Wat Tham Krabok residents will also benefit the many agencies that are going to provide services to this community.  We believe that each subcommittee’s report will be helpful to those agencies that chooses to use them.

 

Due to their “non refugee” status, the Hmong at the Wat have suffered tremendously in several areas.  The lack of supervision from outside agencies or international organizations has contributed to the terrible conditions that this group has had to live with.  Lack of health care, education opportunities, housing, and employment has taken its toll on this community.  Even though the conditions that this group has experienced are much harsher than those of previous Hmong refugee groups, they have shown resiliency and have learned how to survive in this harsh environment.  Delegations from Minnesota and the Sacramento, California came to a similar conclusion. 

 

One of the goals of the task force is to prevent duplication of efforts.  It is our hope that this report will assist agencies as they prepare to work with refugees from the Wat, but even more so, we trust that it will help prepare the way for these refugees as they come to this country. 

 

The mission of the HRTF is to learn about, advocate for, and be a resource to the newly arriving Hmong refugees and the community and to assist in the necessary planning and coordination of the various responsible agencies in the receiving community.

 

To realize this mission, the HRTF identified several general goals/objectives:

1.      To reduce the impact of secondary migration-by informing the Wat residents of the importance of their decision in choosing a final destination for their family.

2.      To welcome Wat residents who choose to come to California-specifically the Central Valley Region; Fresno, Merced, Stockton, Sacramento

  1. To assess the health and well being of Hmong living at Wat Tham Krabok by creating four subcommittees in four key areas:  housing, health, employment and education.  Each subcommittee developed specific objectives to assist the HRTF in meeting its stated goals.

 

The delegation was at Wat Tham Krabok from April 19-23, 2004.  The task force met with Mr. Michael Honnold, Regional Refugee Coordinator-U.S. Embassy in Thailand, who updated the task force on the activities at Wat Tham Krabok. We also spoke with the Hmong leaders and residents at Wat Tham Krabok, so that we could get a sense of what the community is feeling in regards to this family reunification/resettlement process.  We also spoke with the Thai military officials who are currently supervising the activities at Wat Tham Krabok. Perhaps the most important work of the task force was actually talking with many of the residents of the Wat who are choosing to come to the United States and performed our assessments so that we may prepare for the incoming new Hmong residents to our community.

 

With the current difficult economic situation through out this country, we felt that we needed to communicate to the Wat residents the importance of their decision to choose a final destination in their journey.  It was not our place to persuade the Wat residents to choose to come to California or any other region of the country.  It was our task to inform them that while there would be financial support available to them when they moved to the U.S., this support would no longer be available to them if they later decided to move to another part of the country.  The loss of financial support would create a burden for the families as well as for the area where they move.

 

This task force understands that it will be difficult to move to the U.S. and that there will be many obstacles to overcome. Many members of the delegation are former Hmong refugees, so they could identify with this new incoming group of refugees.  That is also why it was important that this delegation included several elected and appointed officials--Susan B. Anderson, County of Fresno Board Supervisor and Chair of the Board; Edward Moreno, M.D., Fresno County Health Officer; Dr. Tony Vang, Board Trustee of Fresno Unified School District- Professor of Education at CUS-Fresno; and Thuan Nguyen, State Refugee Coordinator, that can speak on behalf of the community in the U.S. and welcoming them to this country.  This delegation believes that by having a community that welcomes its new residents, especially from a foreign country, will ease the transition into mainstream society, and assist this new community in becoming self-sufficient and contributing members of the community.

 

During the week of work, this task force was able to collectively survey (all the surveys from each group combined). These are the initial summary break down of the surveys;

 

 

HRTF Health Sub-Committee Summary Report

 

 

Background

 

To adequately address health issues among Hmong living at WTK, the HRTF created a health sub-committee.  The health subcommittee met on several occasions to establish the group’s purpose and objectives, to create a health assessment strategy and to develop and administer health assessment tools at WTK.  Four members of the health subcommittee joined the HRTF delegation for the entire week, including Fresno County health officer Edward Moreno MD, local dentist Mao Her DDS, psychologist Mymee Her PhD and family practitioner Long Thao MD.  Others from the general HRTF was also assigned to assist the health sub-committee.  They included Susan B. Anderson, Lue N. Yang, Pheng Lo, Pao Ly, Charles Vang, and Sandy Cha.  Peter Kunstadter, Ph.D., joined the group on Thursday 22 April and followed up with a visit to Mr. Mike Honnold on April 30 to discuss issues that had arisen during the team’s visit.

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of the health subcommittee was to assess the health beliefs, practices and status of Hmong at WTK who will begin to immigrate to California in July 2004 so that local public health and health care providers can plan to provide services, prioritize existing resources and request additional funding, personnel and supplies. 

 

Objectives

 

The objectives of the health subcommittee are to describe the general overall health of Wat Tham Krabok community, to identify infectious diseases endemic to Wat Tham Krabok community, to describe cultural, social and economic determinants of behaviors and attitudes toward access to health care, to describe maternal and child health status at Wat Tham Krabok, to quantify the prevalence of infectious and chronic diseases, to describe likelihood of immunizations and availability of immunization records, to directly observe describe oral health promotion and disease prevention practices, to describe degree of tooth decay and need for preventive and restorative procedures, to describe the likely prevalence of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, to clarify the International Organization on Migration protocol for refugee health screening and to directly observe, to describe the physical and mental health of WTK residents, and to inquire regarding the availability of Hmong-speaking health workers or translators working with clinical health services and with the planned health survey..

 

Methods

 

The methods include key informant interviews, physical and dental examinations, and health surveys covering health access, personal health, oral health and mental health, home visits, and observations in the village.

 

Preliminary Results

 

Health Key Informant Interviews

Preliminary health care findings from key informant interviews with elected Hmong leaders reveal respiratory illness, cancer and stroke as the main health concerns at WTK.  One of the greatest fears is that certain health conditions may prevent individuals from traveling to the US.  Findings from interviews with the IOM physicians reveal that no medical care existed at WTK prior to mid-April.[1]  Hmong with money could seek health care at Thai hospitals.  Since Hmong are not eligible to participate in the national health plan, Hmong accrue large medical expense debts.  In mid April 2004, the IOM and Ministry of Public Health staffed WTK with one Thai physician who does not speak Hmong to provide basic health care at no cost to Hmong patients.  Some Hmong expressed distrust with the Thai clinic staff, stating that they are still pressured to pay for health care.  The Thai physician is particularly concerned about undiagnosed and poorly treated tuberculosis.  Refugee processing include a health screening which includes a chest X-ray to diagnose tuberculosis.  Although other tests were mentioned, no health screening protocol has been supplied to the health subcommittee.  When refugee status is attained, Hmong will receive full health services with the cooperation of the Thai Ministry of Public Health.  In May, the Thai physician will be joined by 15 Thai nurse health providers and a 6-month basic medical supply to staff and stock the health clinic. 

 

Dental Health Key Informant Interviews

Currently, as in the years past, there have been no dental services offered within the confines of the camp.  Should the occasion arise where urgent dental care was required, the afflicted individual (or parents of the child) would have to make arrangements to travel outside the camp to see a dental care provider at their own expense.  Due to the high expense of dental treatment, it is not financially feasible for the population to receive preventative or continuing dental care.

 

Mental Health Key Informant Interviews

No mental health services are currently available to the Hmong in the Wat.  Interviews with members of the community indicate a need for mental health services. Family members face anxiety related to separation resulting nom immigration requirements. Such as divorce for families with multiple wives, separation of family members due to registration issues, and separation of younger married couples within the Wat residents. Interviews with elementary school age children revealed that they were preoccupied with worries about not being able to go to the United States and not having food to eat. While adolescents reported concerns about being unable to catch up in school once they arrived in the United States Interviews with older men and women revealed that their primary concerns were families being split up, with many being concerned about adult children being left behind due not being on registration. Children and adults have limited knowledge of what life is like in the United States and have not begun to anticipate changes their families will undergo once arrived in the United States. For now, their primary focus is being hopeful that their lives would be greatly improved. The majority reported anxiety related to fear of being denied admission to the United States. Many community members reported a high level of skepticism and dissatisfaction with immigration officials. Interviews with staff revealed that frequent meetings were held with leaders of the camp to report updates and problems in the registration process as they come up. Staff morale appeared diminished due to high levels of anxiety of camp residents.

 

Surveys

 

Health Surveys

A health survey was administered by Hmong-speaking members of the California team.  Preliminary findings from 79 health surveys conducted by the California team show that 29% of respondents were male, 71% female.  The average age was 40.  Only 70% of respondents stated that they had ever seen a modern medical doctor.  Only 38% to 58% of respondents would seek advice from a doctor for the symptoms of fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath or diarrhea.  The main reason for not seeking care from a physician was lack of money.  When asked whether a doctor had ever told them that they had certain health conditions, 24% stated that they had been told they had asthma, 16% were told that they had had parasites and 12% had been told that they had had malaria.  Only 8% had been told they had hypertension, 6% told they had diabetes, 4% told they had tuberculosis or hepatitis, 2% stroke and 1% anemia.  The reports of malaria are consistent with reports from Wat Tham Krabok residents, but inconsistent with reports of Thai health authorities.

 

Dental Health Survey

A total of 374 individuals were surveyed and assessed.  The age break down is as follows:

1-5

37%

6-12

57%

13-20

3%

21-40

5%

41-64

4%

65 >

1%

 

It was clear that all assessed individuals believed that oral and dental health were very important to their health. All responded to the knowledge of a tooth brush when shown and admitted to knowledge of its function and frequency of usage.  Most replied that they did brush at the minimum once a day, however there was a small percentage that admitted to being inconsistent with their care. It was also revealed that only a small percentage of the respondents had ever been to the dentist prior to the administration of the survey, and fewer yet had ever received dental treatment. 

 

Mental Health Survey

The Hopkin's Symptoms Checklist (HS-25 Hmong Version) is a standardized instrument. Normed in Hmong, that screens for anxiety and depression, symptoms commonly found in refugees. The Hmong HSCL-25 and a list of survey questions were administered to 183 individuals, 54 adolescents between ages 10 and 17 and 126 adults 18 years old and older. One hundred and eighty questionnaires were used to complete the data analysis and three were discarded due to no response on the Hmong HSCL-25.

 

Examinations
 
Health Examinations

Preliminary findings from health examinations reveal a high prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory illness.  The delegation physicians suspect many Hmong had undiagnosed or poorly treated tuberculosis and asthma.  Many skin infections were also untreated.

 

Dental Health Examinations

Preliminary findings from the 374 dental surveys reveal that 62% of the respondents admit to drinking sugary drinks.  The caries rate appears to be the highest within the 5-6 year old age group, with many of the children having more than 50% moderate-severely decayed teeth and an overall poor oral hygiene practices.  This may be the end result of poor oral care practices, high level of sugar consumption from bottled sugary drinks and candy.  Among the adult population, the caries rate did not appear to be very severe. However, a periodontal evaluation would have been very valuable in the assessment periodontal disease among the adult population.

 

Mental Health Examinations

Overall, the majority of the both adolescents and adults reported little to no symptoms of mental needs. Of the 126 adults surveyed. 60% reported little to no symptoms, 32% reported mild to moderate symptoms, and 9% reported severe symptoms of mental health problems. In the adolescent group, 85% reported little to no symptoms of mental heath problems, while 15% reported mild to moderate levels of symptoms, and none reported severe mental health symptoms (see chart below). Anxiety and depression indexes revealed that 5% of the adults reported clinical level of anxiety, while 3% of the adolescents reported clinical levels of anxiety. Depression index identified 29% of adults displaying clinically significant level of depression while the adolescents reported no clinically significant level of depression.

 

Subjects

Little to No Symptoms

Mild to Moderate Symptoms

Severe Symptoms

Adolescents

85%

15%

0%

Adults

60%

32%

9%

 

Conclusions

Health

Conclusions from health care findings include significant detriment from prolonged lack of health care at WTK.  Without health care, many health conditions are most likely undiagnosed.  Comparing key informant interviews with physical examinations, the delegation physicians suspect that the perceived health concerns of Hmong are not representative of the actual health needs of the population.  Many Wat Tham Krabok residents suffer from respiratory illnesses that may be caused or exacerbated by high particulate matter due to high dust levels from nearby mountain blasting and mining.  Furthermore, many Hmong distrust Thai clinic staff, which adds to the social, cultural and economic barriers impeding health care access for Hmong.  Finally, on a local level, the large influx of immigrants will quickly stress existing public health, health education and health care resources.

 

Dental health

Conclusions from the dental health assessment reveal that there is a considerably high caries rate among the younger children of Wat Tham Krabok.  In comparing the respondent answers to the oral health practice questions with the actual findings of the dental assessment, it is possible that many of the children did not give accurate responses. We found much difficulty in finding willing adult participants to survey. Many were reluctant due to the feeling of shame and embarrassment in regards to perceived negative conceptions of oral health status.  Many of the adults surveyed and those whom accompanied their children were concerned for the oral health of their children and very much desired dental care for their children, but could not do so because of financial constraints.

 

Mental Health

Conclusions wm mental health assessment indicate that there is high degree of anxiety in the general population due to stress related to the process of registration. Of the sampled group, mental health needs is high among adults and moderate in adolescents. There is concern that mental health problems may elevate, once camp residents begin to leave for the United States and family members are separated. This concern is especially relevant when almost half of the population in Wat Them Krabok is reported to have not been registered to by the Thai government and are not eligible to come to the United States.

 

Recommendations

Health

To immediately improve the health status of Hmong refugees while at WTK, the physician delegates recommend to international agencies involved with refugee processing at Wat Tham Krabok the following:

a)      Expand the new health clinic with sufficient Hmong speaking staff and providers to care for 15,000 to 20,000 residents of WTK

b)      Enhance community outreach activities to communicate the purpose of the health clinic and to build trust between clinic staff and WTK residents

c)      All health conditions should receive immediate medical attention and treatment even before refugee status is obtained, especially communicable diseases. 

d)      Tuberculosis should be more thoroughly evaluated and aggressively treated prior to travel to the US.

e)      initiate a free adult and child vaccination program with careful documentation

f)        Provide Western Health Care Orientation as part of the Cultural Orientation

 

To facilitate transition of health care from IOM to local health departments we urgently recommend that the international agencies at WTK supply local health officials in the United States with the following information.

a)      the IOM protocol for refugee health screening at WTK;

b)      individual health screening information including history, physical exam, diagnosis, medical treatment and vaccinations

c)      detailed protocols for assessment of multiple drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis and for treatment of non-MDR and MDR tuberculosis.

d)      Detailed protocols for assessment and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases

e)      Information on the nearby mine, composition of the materials excavated and how long excavation has occurred at those locations

f)        a current copy of the IOM proposal to conduct a health survey at WTK as well as results of the health survey when completed;

g)      Contact lists of those responsible for health screening and health survey activities at Wat Tham Krabok, those responsible for health administration, those responsible for community outreach and those responsible for liaison between health services at WTK and local health officials in the United States.

 

This information is critical for local health officials to appropriately allocate and prioritize available resources in the United States.  Failures to provide this information will likely result in local health agency inefficiency, lapses in health service, and duplication of treatment. 

 

To enhance health care delivery by local health departments and health providers involved with refugee screening in the United States the physician delegates recommend the following.

a)      Local health departments conduct strict tuberculosis re-evaluation and treatment. 

b)      Local health departments make specific recommendations to health care providers on how to manage respiratory illness.  For example, chronic ear infection, hearing impairment, asthma and allergic rhinitis management protocols can be provided to health providers. 

c)      To increase health service resources, the physicians request supplemental federal and state funding for health screening and medical treatment. 

d)      Local health departments collaborate with culturally competent health providers to assure prompt access to medical care in the community. 

 

Dental health

Recommendations from the delegation dentist include the immediate development of an oral hygiene program to reduce the caries rate and risk of the children.  This program should include proper maintenance of the teeth (brushing and flossing), diet and nutritional counseling, and for oral health for pregnant females and their newborns.  At the moment the very young children (under age 3) due appear to minimal to no decay, do to several factors: 1) all of the teeth are newly erupted and have not been in the mouth very long 2) most of the children, if they have no younger siblings are breast feed until the mother “runs out of milk” 3) they are not active in the consumption of sugary substances, unless given to by the mother.  However, when these women and children arrive in the U.S., if not properly educated on the proper use of baby bottles including the duration and type of fluid placed within the bottle, there is potential for a high incidence of “baby bottle tooth decay.” 

 

Secondly, many of the children will require extensive dental treatment to save their primary and early permanent dentition.  Since many of these children never experienced dental treatment before, we can anticipate that these children will be very scared, nervous, and anxious.  With this knowledge, it will be imperative that dental professionals treating these children be understanding, culturally sensitive, and patient, because they will be require a tremendous amount of dental treatment.

 

In addition, since poor oral health is prevalent in this community, the dentist recommends that immediate referrals should be readily available to refugees following their screening at local health departments.  Temporary dental care facilities could be established at local health departments to facilitate prompt dental care.

 

Mental Health

 

 

 

 

 

*General recommendation:  elected officials should look into the possibility of sending a local health team to assist with the current health care providers at the camp.  There are obvious reasons as to the need of additional health care providers at the Wat, but economic impact to the local U.S. community should also be considered.  If the local health care providers are able to take care of some of the preventable health conditions at the Wat, the resulting financial impact of health care in the local U.S. community can be reduced.  The reason for this is the health care in Thailand will be less expensive than health care in the United States.  If local (U.S.) community wait until these group arrive then health care cost will be much greater than caring for the Wat residents in Thailand.

 

 

HRTF Education Sub-Committee Summary Report

 

 

Background

 

The Education subcommittee consists of three educators at different levels of decision-making and support from the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD):  Tony Vang, Ed.D, Board Trustee; Pat Roehl, Office of State and Federal Programs/Title III Coordinator; and Doua Vu, Title III Resource Specialist.  The education subcommittee has been meeting since February with educators from other educational institutions and with educators from within the Fresno Unified School District to discuss existing resources and ways the educational system can be prepared to welcome the new Hmong refugees.

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of the education subcommittee was to assess the educational needs of the Hmong at Wat Tham Krabok (WTK) who will begin the resettlement process to the United States in July 2004.  A large number of these refugees are expected to come to the Central Valley.  The goal of the education subcommittee was to identify needs that will help local school districts to prioritize existing resources and request additional funding, personnel, and supplies. 

 

Objectives

 

The objectives of the educational subcommittee were to provide instructional support to the school at WTK and to gather information in the following areas:

Ø   educational experiences of the families

Ø   literacy level of students and parents

Ø   family socio-economic status

Ø   demographic profile

Ø   educational level of the school staff

 

Methods

 

The methods employed for the purpose of our assessment included key informant interviews and questionnaires.

 

Preliminary Results

 

Key Informant Interviews

Preliminary educational findings from key informant interviews with Hmong students, parents, and school staff reveal that not all children are enrolled in school because of a required fee.  Since the Hmong in WTK don’t have legal refugee status, they are not entitled to free public education.  It has become extremely difficult for Hmong families to be able to pay the school fee due to the recent registration process, which have made it almost impossible for them to leave the camp and find work. 

 

There are two schools that the Hmong children in WTK attend:  A public Thai school that is just outside of the camp where instruction is delivered only in Thai and a Hmong school inside the Wat where both Thai and English classes are offered at separate times.  English classes are offered early in the morning from 6:00-8:00 AM and in the late afternoon until late evening from 4:00-8:00 PM.  Thai classes are offered from 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.  In the Hmong school that is inside WTK, about 1800 are enrolled in Thai classes and about 998 are enrolled in English classes (exact number pending on analysis of report).  The Thai school was not in session during the delegation’s visit, so there was no opportunity to observe the classes.

 

Hmong students, both young and old, are very eager to learn.  Many students over the age of 20 expressed interest in having access to schooling in America.  Children whose families cannot afford to pay for school are constantly surrounding the outside of the school and peering through the classroom windows to gain whatever knowledge they can.  Learning English is everyone’s goal.  Even the regular classes where Thai has traditionally been taught are beginning to incorporate English lessons. Since the English classes in the school are overcrowded, some students are taking classes at home where they actually pay a little more than they would to the school, in order to receive more one-to-one interaction with the teacher.

 

The educational delegates got to meet and dialogue with the Hmong teachers teaching English in the Wat.  We discovered that the school was newly built by the teachers with the support of the monk when he was still alive.  All of the Hmong English teachers are volunteers.  A small fee of about $1.50 is collected monthly from each child, which is used primarily to purchase drinking water for the children, pay for electricity, and buy supplies.  The Hmong teachers learned their English in the 1980s and early 90s when they were hoping to come to America.  The English books currently used in the classes are old ones from the days when the teachers were learning English themselves. They’ve been able to keep up with learning English by being self-taught through reading books purchased from the local Thai stores. 

 

Questionnaires           (FINAL DATA STILL PENDING)

Preliminary findings from 246 educational questionnaires show that

___% of respondents were male, __% female. 

___ was the average age of students enrolled in the Wat school

___ average years lived in camp

___ lived in other camps before

___ is fluent in Hmong / Lao / Thai / English

___ is somewhate fluent / Lao / Thai / English

___ is not fluent in Hmong

___is the predominant language spoken at home

___% lived with their parents (a few are orphans living with relatives or extended family member)

__% have a TV in their house

__% have a radio in their house

__% have at least one parent that can read in at least Hmong or Thai

__% have used a computer for ___ purposes

__% attends school in the Wat (Thai school not in session)

__% goes to school every day

__ % have been in school for an average of __ years

__ % study English in school

__% can read English fluently

__% somewhat fluently

__% not fluent at all

__% enjoy school

__% favorite subject in school

__% most difficult subject

special talents or skill__________

successful in American schools_______

educational, occupational, career goals___

 

Conclusions

 

Based on observations, interviews, and interaction with Hmong families in WTK, the educational delegates conclude that Hmong children are in critical need of educational services and the school staff is in dire need of instructional support.  Children receive basic education in Thai and in English at the school inside the Wat.  It appears that the literacy level of the adults in this population is higher than the first group who came to America in the 1980s.  In interviews with the children at WTK, they reported that their parents could read and write at least some Hmong and/or Thai.  It is important to note that 60% of the children are of school-age. Despite having limited English classes that are overcrowded, students overwhelmingly enjoy going to school and are eager to learn.  Most families have a TV and radio in their homes and a few have computers.  Families are looking forward to moving to America and starting their new lives with better educational opportunities and career goals.

 

Recommendations

 

Recommendations from the delegation’s educational subcommittee for Education Service Providers in Wat Tham Krabok:

Ø      Make school free and available to all children

Ø      Expand English classes to accommodate everyone

Ø      Extend English class hours

Ø      Include the instruction of English in the Cultural Orientation Course

Ø      Provide instructional resources to the school

Ø      Work out a plan with the United States to bring in a team of qualified bilingual

Hmong teachers and native English-speaking teachers who have background in second language acquisition theories to spend at least two weeks to a month this summer mentoring, coaching, and training the Hmong teachers in WTK with effective English language development strategies

 

Recommendations from the delegation’s educational subcommittee for Education Service Providers in the Central Valley:

Ø      Collaborate with other school districts to send a team of qualified bilingual Hmong teachers and native English-speaking teachers who have background in second language acquisition theories to spend at least two weeks to a month this summer mentoring, coaching, and training the Hmong teachers in WTK with effective English language development strategies

Ø      Open a transitional newcomer school that will give specific attention to address the special needs of this new population and offer the following services on site:

ü   Mental health services

ü   Linguistic support (qualified bilingual and/or culturally sensitive staff)

ü   Culturally appropriate parent trainings

ü   Intensive English Language Development

ü   Tutorial services

ü   Mentoring program (match up a new Hmong student with an American-born Hmong student and a native English speaker)

*** (This site should receive all newly arrived immigrants from other countries

from around the world)

Ø      Provide cultural awareness and sensitivity workshops

Ø      Have strong articulation between departments in the same school district to provide all appropriate services (i.e. preschool, K-12, adult education, neighborhood resource centers, parent engagement center, etc.)

Ø      Form a strong collaboration with outlying districts, other educational institutions, local government agencies, health agencies, Hmong Mutual Assistance, and non-profit organizations

 

 

HRTF Employment Subcommittee Summary Report

 

Background

 

To adequately address employment needs among Hmong living at WTK, the HRTF created an employment sub-committee.  The employment subcommittee met on several occasions to establish the group’s purpose and objectives, to create an employment assessment strategy and to develop and administer employment assessment tools at WTK.  Two members of the health subcommittee joined the HRTF delegation, including Blong Lee- Business Plan Specialist/Fresno County Employment Opportunity Commission, and Xia Kao Vang-Executive Director-Sacramento Lao Family.

 

 

 

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of the employment subcommittee was to assess the employment needs and skills of Hmong at WTK who will begin to immigrate to California in July 2004 so that local employment service providers can prioritize existing resources and request additional funding to assist with the employment process. 

 

Objective

 

To assess the employment and training needs of the new Hmong refugees at Wat Tham Krabok.   Data acquired from the surveys is intended to assist our local governmental agencies and community based organizations to prioritize employment and training services in anticipation for the arrival of the Hmong refugees to the Central Valley beginning in June 2004.

 

Assessment Methods

 

Interviews:  To be conducted with key informants (section leaders, IOM staff, Thai Military, etc.) and a sample of the general population.

 

Surveys:  To target 300 individual respondents who either applied for or express interest in resettlement in California.  The survey will capture individual and family demographics data such as age, marital status, family size; as well as years of education, past employments/work experience, and future employment/career interests.

 

Preliminary Findings

Key Informant Interviews

Interviews conducted with a section leader and a high-ranking officer of the Thai Military.  According to the section leader, employment opportunities inside Wat Tham krabok are scarce.  The majority of the adults are unemployed or self-employed.  Women are employed in pandaus (paj ntaub) while the men busy themselves with making silver crafts and blacksmithing.  Before the military took control of the camp, the residents were free to seek employment in the cities.  Since then, few have been able to find work outside of the Wat.

 

The Thai official, however, stated that they allow the Hmongs to leave the camp for work.  The decline in employment opportunities outside the Wat is due to their requirement that wages paid to Hmong laborers be the equivalent of those being paid to Thai natives. 

 

Surveys 

The initial results of the 110 surveys counted so far indicate an average respondent age of 30.  Of the respondents, 49 are males and 51 are females, 92 of them are married with an average of 3.8 children in their family.  80% are presently employed, and have been employed for an average of 9.7 years and have an average of 6.11 years of education.  55% of the respondents have farming experience and 47% of them would like to have their own farms in America.  Over 55% read and write Hmong while 33% can read and write Thai.  Less than 15% can speak conversational English.  86% indicate that they do not have any conditions that might prevent them from working.

 

Recommendations

 

Recommendations from the delegation’s educational subcommittee for Education Service Providers in the Central Valley:

 

 

HRTF Housing Subcommittee Summary Report

 

 

Background

 

To address health the housing issues among Hmong living at WTK, the HRTF created a housing sub-committee.  The housing subcommittee met on several occasions to establish the group’s purpose and objectives, to create a housing assessment strategy and to develop and administer housing assessment tools at WTK.  Two members of the housing subcommittee joined the HRTF delegation, including Kimberly Ann Thompson-Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministry, and Pao Xiong-Detective-Fresno Police Department.

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of the housing subcommittee was to assess the housing conditions of the Hmong at WTK who will begin to immigrate to California in July 2004 so that local, city, county and all public services providers can prioritize existing resources and request additional funding to assist with the housing issues. 

 

Objectives

 

The overall objectives of the Housing Task Force include collaborating with local agencies to identify and organize resources to prepare both the newcomers and the larger community for needs of the new arrivals in housing and home living.  The purpose of the two representatives to Wat Tham Krabok was to contribute to the preparatory work of the Housing Task Force by assessing the living conditions in the refugee camp, learning how life is structured in areas such as living space, camp geographic divisions, occupancy numbers within homes, systems such as water and sewage, and the fluidity of movement of families within the camp, and between the camp and larger area.  We also hoped to learn of people’s expectations of placement in the US, and their sense of how life and home living would be in their new environment.

 

Assessment Method

 

The housing delegates’ activities included using a participant/observer approach by walking throughout the camp (most often accompanied by Hmong-Thai members of the Thai military) and speaking with residents in their homes about their lives at the camp, their stories of coming to the Wat years ago, and their current deliberations on resettlement.  Questions were guided by a list of topics prepared by the Housing Task Force in advance. 

 

Time was also spent in meetings with other delegates and camp subsection leaders, Hmong clan leaders of the camp, speaking with students at the school, guiding camp residents through photos of Fresno located under the delegation’s tent, and speaking with Hmong Thai military personnel about the camp.  We held extensive conversations/interviews with about 25 families within the camp, at the families’ invitation.

 

Pao Xiong created a photo board of Fresno leaders taken at Hmong New Year 2004 including Mayor Alan Autry, General Vang Pao, Chief Jerry Dyer and other dignitaries; and also brought a map of the United States in order to show people the distance between potential states of resettlement.  These were focal pieces of interaction under the delegation’s tent for the entire week.  Kim Thompson brought a photo album of a Hmong American family and house that was used as a tool for interaction and an educational aid both with families and in the school, where it was left to be used in curriculum.

 

Preliminary Findings

 

Wat Tham Krabok is located about 90 miles north of Bangkok and sits on approximately 300 rai or 120 acres of land, surrounded by high rocky hills in which explosive mining occurs daily. 50 rai or 20 acres of the Wat are designated as the housing area for Thai families related to the Abbot. 60 rai or 24 acres are designated for the monks’ housing area. 190 rai or 76 acres are designated for the Hmong refugees’ housing units.

 

As families began to seek sanctuary at the Wat in the early 1980’s, each family was assigned a small plot of land and told to develop a home on it.  Thus, with twenty-five years of development and over 15,000 residents, homes literally run into one another in many areas of the camp, creating narrow passageways for people and rivulets of sewage. Many or most homes are made of thatch, discarded wood, cement blocks – usually a combination of materials – and have a dirt floor.  Many have a created second story as a loft for some sleeping and storage space.  Life is high-density, public, and utilitarian.  Outside, open space is to be found in several large common areas used for New Year celebrations, an evening market, and sports areas.  There is a burial area along part of the circumference of the camp, which is now encircled by a barbed-wire fence that was erected last summer by the Thai military.  This fence is the physical representation of a new and more restricted kind of