Providing school-connected, culturally appropriate mental health services for refugee and immigrant children and youth: Lessons from a 15-site initiative

In February 2007, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 15 partnerships were launched to develop model mental health programs that engage schools, families, students, mental health agencies and other community organizations in delivering effective, culturally-competent, easily-accessed services for immigrant and refugee children and youth. These sites are spread across the country and serve refugees from East Africa and South-eastern Europe as well as immigrants from Mexico, Iraq, Afro-Caribbean countries, Central America, and Southeast Asia. The program goal is both to meet immediate unmet needs and to demonstrate more effective ways of assisting these populations of young people.

The presentation will describe the interventions implemented in the 15 Program sites. These projects range from those that train school staff and mental health professionals about adapting their skills to meet the needs of new immigrant and refugee students to organizing direct delivery of language- and culture-appropriate mental health services. Program and policy lessons learned as well as challenges and opportunities in developing and sustaining community-based partnerships will be summarized. Impacts of larger immigration policies and practices will also be considered.