Mental health plays a pivotal role in the successful resettlement and integration of refugees and immigrants. Addressing mental health needs contributes to individuals' ability to adapt to their new environment, build social connections, and engage in meaningful activities. The upheaval of leaving one's home country following exposure to violence and loss of family and community increases the vulnerability of individuals in refugee communities to mental health issues. 

Despite a prevalence of mental health challenges, services addressing mental health needs are underutilized due to barriers of cost of care, language, and lack of insurance coverage. Fragmented mental health services, amid a crisis of affordability and a scarcity of culturally competent providers, result in a mismatch between the needs of refugee populations and available healthcare.  

Additionally, the stigma attached to mental health prevents many resettled individuals from acknowledging the importance of mental well-being and openly discussing their mental health struggles. In many refugee and immigrant communities, cultural norms and misconceptions about mental health contribute to a general reluctance to seek professional help, preventing families and individuals from thriving. 

Please see here a provider list to facilitate referrals to mental health services in California. If there are clinicians your participants have been referred to or currently work with, we kindly request that you share their contact information with us at cirh@phi.org.