Family Advocate and Mentor Meeting: May 18, 2012
FAM Updates
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Andre’a: family from Iran, the father speaks
English well, she is helping the mother with hers, the daughter is learning
very fast! She has taken them hiking, baked them cookies, joined them for
dinner, etc.
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Erin: family from Russia, has been mentoring
them since December, she has taken them to the beach, grocery stores. They are
enrolled in all ESL classes offered during the day.
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Diane: family from Columbia, tutoring kids,
teaching the father how to drive, she has also been helping advocate for
childcare.
Staff Comments
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Gerald: FAMs are a blessing, he presented in
Washington in regards to the work we’re doing here and how integral volunteers
are to our programs. Sees us as transformers, as a way to help refugees forget
about the persecution they lived through. It is so important to have people
here to help them through the process. He is happy when his mentored families
say they don’t need him anymoreJ
Mental Health- Russell Dehnel
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Refugees are expected to be on their feet in 6-8
months after arrival, yet they don’t always have the support needed to get
there.
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75% suffer from PTSD
o
-civil wars in Africa
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Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan wars.
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Dealing with things no human being is wired to
deal with
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On top of that: having to learn English, get
jobs, adjust to new culture/environment/way of life, figuring out school
systems here for their children, dealing with raising kids; needs of
children-health, welfare, schools.
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Upon Arrival, refugees are focused are
resettling. After the first month or so, reality sets in; a whole other set of
obstacles arises. They realize the economic and cultural state they are in.
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FAMs act as community, support network: this is
very similar to what a lot of our clients are used to in their home countries
where “it takes a village to raise a child”: it takes a community to resettle!
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Symptoms are listed on the referral
sheet-related to trauma
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If you notice anything, you can let any staff
member know.
Questions…
Questions…
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If don’t see symptoms and don’t know their
history, how do you address mental health?
o
Russell: just ask, ask about their lives. Listen
to your gut, follow your heart. Find the right moment to ask and feel out the
situation. You may want to let it be. Always feel free to alert me or any staff
member to your hunch and we can discreetly handle it from there.
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What if there is a problem with the wife and the
husband doesn’t want her to come in?
o
Russell: in the US, independent health services
are a right. Offer for her to come in and talk to a female nurse practitioner,
if that’s helpful. Can use poor sleep as a reason for referral, etc. Alert us (Russell,
Joelle, Julie, a Case Manager, etc) to the issue, especially if you are worried
about losing trust. As a team we can develop a strategy-a way to include the
family/husband to make sure the wife receives help. Respect roles, redefine
roles so family gets what they need and acknowledge the need to maintain a
sense of self worth for the husband. Although, he doesn’t have the right o
refuse medical treatment for his wife. There are sensitive ways to address the
issue.
Other Comments
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Gerald: factors for choosing and making matches:
They look for open families who want help, giving
reserved families more time to adjust and realize they might need help.
Language-consider where they are coming from and
who can easily communicate with.
Tells FAMs to do as much as they can/ feel comfortable
with-don’t get burnt out and leave!
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Erin: her own goal: for the family to become
self sufficient. Connect to community, DMV, bank accounts, online banking,
stores, government checks, ESL, school, job searching, park-fun!
Erin can help clients set up bank accounts,
learn online banking if you need help!
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Andre’a: Use what you’ve got! All family’s needs
are different!
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Gerald: wants the clients he serves to get the
best! Volunteers motivate him!
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