Build trust with targeted strategies
Case investigation and contact tracing (CICT) is an important tool for controlling the spread of infectious diseases. CICT among RIM communities may be improved through strategies and approaches that are tailored to working with these groups. By embracing community engagement and partnerships, and taking into account cultural and linguistic considerations, you can ensure your CICT efforts are successful.
Promising Practices are strategies, approaches, or programs that have anecdotally shown to have a positive impact in some local settings, however, there is not yet enough research-based evidence to certify as a best practice.
Sara Alert to Automate Symptom Monitoring
Sara Alert is an open-source data monitoring tool that automates the process of public health monitoring and reported to individuals exposed or infected with an infectious disease.
Embedding Equity throughout the COVID-19 Response Organizational Structure
It is essential to integrate considerations for refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities into all aspects of public health response efforts. Read more about the Minnesota Department of Health’s work to embed equity throughout the COVID-19 response organizational structure. While this resource was originally developed in the context of COVID-19, the methods and approach described in here could easily be applied to other diseases.
Database Linkages to Support CICT among RIM Communities
Refugees can receive more and better services when the people who support them have access to complete and accurate information on their healthcare needs. However, this may be challenging as health departments work to reach more refugees in their case investigation and contact tracing (CICT) efforts.
Outreach to RIM Communities ahead of CICT Efforts
Due to the limited number of times a case investigator or contract tracer has to reach an individual, strategizing around creative ways to engage, educate, and increase awareness around CICT ahead of the first call can help ensure success.
WhatsApp to Reach and Engage RIM Communities
WhatsApp is a popular social messaging tool for many communities, including refugees, immigrants, and migrants and can be a powerful tool to reach and engage communities.
REDCap Databases to Manage CICT Information
The process of CICT can generate a tremendous amount of data. Electronic data capture software such as REDCap can allow health departments or organizations to create databases to manage their CICT data.
Cultural Navigators to Liaise Between Communities and Public Health
A promising practice is to work with community-based organizations (CBOs) to seek out trusted partners to serve as “cultural navigators.” These cultural navigators support the response, spread messaging and join public health interviews but do not serve as case investigators.
Multilingual Coffee Hour – Peer Support Group for CICT Teams
Health departments and community-based organizations have found success holding "coffee hours" for multilingual CICT staff outside of training to handle questions and discuss scenarios that have come up during case investigations and contact tracing. Select this promising practice to see how to implement a coffee hour in your community.
Staffing Agencies to Increase Language Capacity for CICT
Health departments are partnering with staffing agencies to hire multilingual case investigators / contact tracers and contract interpreters. Select this promising practice to learn how to utilize staffing agencies to increase the language capacity of your CICT team.