Bridging, building, and bonding: Somali mothers' experiences in a family-focused community program.

Developing community programming that integrates cultural context, family systems, and social connection is key to promoting well-being and acculturation among refugee families. This study explored the resettlement experiences of Somali refugee mothers as they sought to navigate their changing personal identities, childrearing approaches, and integration into a new community. The Somali Parent Program (SPP) represents a culturally specific, family-focused, 8-week program designed to address participants' questions and challenges. A phenomenological approach was used to understand how Somali mothers in the program made meaning of their experiences before, during, and after program completion. Emergent themes focused on how being a part of the program provided sources of belonging and support, highlighted the value of parent-child relationships, and emphasized the importance of visibility and voice. Culturally specific family-focused programs such as SPP may provide an effective method for addressing acculturation and integration among refugee families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

From traditional practice to tiered comprehensive services for all: Developing a responsive school culture for the future.

In this article, we reflect on the evolution of school psychology practice from the past to the present, and share some thoughts about the future. Although school psychology programs provide training in consultation, prevention, social emotional development, counseling, and mental health interventions, school psychology practice is still dominated by assessment, and the specialty has yet to live up to its promise to address the multiple needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Today's practitioners need to be skilled in systems-level programing that is informed by cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to responsibly work toward the best outcomes for students and families from all cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. As the demand for mental health and other services in schools continues to increase, we argue for a wholescale adoption of culturally adapted evidence-based practices to address the expanding role of school-based practice. Finally, we offer considerations from the social psychology literature that will help school psychologists prioritize behavioral health while also reducing disparities in educational attainment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Learning from Our Patients: Training Psychiatry Residents in Refugee Mental Health.

OBJECTIVE: Psychiatric residents are increasingly called upon to work cross-culturally, serving diverse populations including refugees. This study aims to (1) understand the training experience of psychiatry residents working with refugees and (2) assess the level of satisfaction of refugees, most of whom are Iraqi, who seek psychological treatment at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH)'s Refugee Mental Health Program of Colorado (RMHPC). METHODS: Using qualitative methodology, over a 1-year period, independent evaluators interviewed a group of nine residents who chose to participate in an RMHPC elective and also interviewed ten Iraqi refugee patients who sought services at the clinic. Recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Emerging themes were identified for both resident and refugee patient interviews. RESULTS: Five major themes emerged summarizing residents' experiences: (1) adapting practices to meet refugee needs, (2) value of supervision, (3) cultural barriers, (4) need for extra resources, and (5) effect on future practice. Four major themes emerged summarizing Iraqi refugees' experiences: (1) reasons for seeking treatment, (2) barriers to treatment, (3) residents' knowledge of culture and needs, and (4) quality of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings highlight the complexities of effectively treating refugee patients and suggest ideas for training residents. Additionally, they offer important frameworks for developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally responsive practices in the context of training psychiatry residents and other mental health professionals. An essential key to this process was giving voice to refugees who accessed and engaged our services.

Family first: Community-based supports for refugees.

This article presents a community-based approach that targets family interventions and services through a preventive, family systems ecological framework. A public health approach is used to emphasize the need for a tiered model of family support that builds on the strengths of refugee families while recognizing their specific needs and challenges. The rationale for a family systems ecological perspective is presented to highlight the critical features of effective family support programs for refugee families, followed by a discussion regarding the transitions and adaptation faced by refugee families when entering the United States. Finally, a public-health problem solving model is employed to promote a comprehensive vision for how more effective support can be developed to best serve the mental health needs of refugee families. An integrated case example highlighting the Somali Parent Program, a family-focused intervention, is also provided. (PsycINFO Database Record