Editor's note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Mercy Springfield checks the immigration status of its patients. The story has been updated to reflect that Mercy Springfield does not check the immigration status of its patients. We sincerely regret this errror.
As the immigrant community grows, public health officials and hospitals are trying making sure everyone is vaccinated from disease, including undocumented immigrants.
According to the American Medical Association, vaccines are among the most effective interventions to prevent individual illness and protect public health.
Kathryn Wall, spokeswoman for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said the public health staff here doesn’t ask patients about their immigration status.
“We don’t specifically have a policy regarding undocumented immigrants. We, in public health, believe in the importance and the value of vaccines. They’re really the gold standard in prevention when it comes to public health,” said Wall.
In an emailed statement, Media Relations Manager Kaitlyn McConnell at CoxHealth said the health care system usually provides immunizations at its primary care clinics. A photo ID is required when becoming a patient at one of these clinics.
McConnell adds that, to her knowledge, no patient has ever risked deportation by seeing a CoxHealth care provider—and that the organization feels “an ethical obligation to care for the community and its patients regardless of race, national origin, ethnicity or other prejudicial considerations.”
To make sure it’s following federal privacy laws, CoxHealth does not share information about its patients with federal agencies unless there is a legal obligation to do so.
And at Mercy in Springfield, spokeswoman Sonya Kullmann provided this statement via email: “Mercy does not check the immigration status of our patients. We provide care to all, recognizing the dignity of each person regardless of social factors.”
For immigrants needing vaccines, there is an additional option in our community: Hand in Hand Multicultural Center in Northwest Springfield provides a variety of services, focusing on bilingual and disadvantaged populations. Executive Director Julie Humphrey says some types of vaccines are included in this mission.
“We typically host a vaccination clinic that is sponsored by the [Greene County] Medical Association for flu vaccines. We have hosted other vaccination clinics that were in need at the time for tetanus, especially focusing on construction workers and people in that kind of labor,” said Humphrey.
Those vaccinations are provided free of charge, she said. Hand in Hand is funded through grants, private donations and partnerships with local organizations.
Undocumented immigrants can also get legal help at Hand in Hand. Humphry they are the only organization in southwest Missouri accredited by the United States Department of Justice to provide legal immigration assistance. Mayra Ramirez is the Immigration Services Coordinator.
“We have people of all statuses and all over the world. For most people that are coming here as refugees, or if they’re coming here and getting a green card or anything like that, you know, the legal process also entails having a vaccination record and a medical exam,” said Ramirez.
Ramirez says most of her clients already have the vaccinations they need.
“And even for undocumented people, from what I’ve seen and from my personal experience, most people, most countries have standardized vaccinations,” said Ramirez.
For this reason, Hand in Hand Multicultural Center focuses its vaccination clinics on vaccines that need renewal, like the flu and tetanus.
