Switchboard Blog
Switchboard’s blog posts offer a wide range of insights on the newcomer experience, including practical tips for navigating the resettlement process, resource lists tailored to community needs, case studies about relevant programs, engaging stories of successful integration, and more.
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Opening Doors to Mental Health Support: A Screening Guide for Resettlement Providers
When screening newcomer clients for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), service providers need mental health screening tools that are simple and easy to use. Below we provide a brief introduction to these tools and links to resources with further information. With appropriate training, referral networks, and organizational support, these tools can be applicable…
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Refugee and newcomer families are often confronted with the daunting challenge of integrating into a new society while seeking gainful employment. This can be especially challenging for newcomers who are caregivers to young children. Service providers should familiarize themselves with high-quality child care resources to help caregivers integrate into their new communities and, crucially, enter…
- Switchboard
Supporting a community demands a robust support structure. Leaders of ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs) particularly understand this. As defined by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an ECBO is a nonprofit primarily formed by present or past refugees to champion refugee progress. Having a community-led ECBO board can go a long way in meeting a…
- Karen Organization of San Diego
Successfully accessing federal student aid often determines whether newcomers can pursue college and career school here in the United States. Staying up to date on the latest federal student aid policies plays a critical role in newcomer service providers’ ability to support and advocate for clients during the application process. This blog covers key updates…
- Lindsay Dusard
The inaugural Refugee Resettlement Research Symposium took place from August 22–24, 2023. From three days of rich discussion, attendees gained perspectives from across sectors, examined policies and programs, and emerged with a renewed commitment to collaboration. Bringing together practitioners, researchers, community members, and government staff, the event was a space to reimagine and revitalize resettlement…
- Switchboard
Navigating the U.S. health care system can be challenging. In this post, we share ideas about how service providers can help prepare newcomer clients for their initial medical appointments. What do clients need to know? Prior to their initial medical appointments, service providers should review with clients how the U.S. health care system works and…
- Switchboard
Organizations in various fields have service providers who specialize in health case management. In this post, we focus on health case management specifically in the resettlement context. We describe the role of resettlement service providers acting as health case managers, as well as important limitations on their scope. How is health case management different…
- Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers