Hello!

Welcome to our Refugee Mental Health Newsletter! The USCRI field office in Saint Louis, Missouri, in partnership with the Missouri Office of Refugee Administration (MO-ORA), will be sending out a quarterly newsletter highlighting refugee mental health resources and training opportunities! The goal of this newsletter is to identify and share culturally responsive mental health resources with resettlement service providers, refugee healthcare providers, and communities that engage with refugees and immigrants. Additional resettlement and refugee-related resources are accessible through the USCRI Saint Louis Refugee Health Promotion Google Drive. 

 

Please send any questions, concerns or resources you'd like to share to Ramya Gruneisen, [email protected].


If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can subscribe using the button at the end of this email.

Training Opportunities

USCRI Trainings

The Intersection of Culture and Trauma in the Care of Diverse Populations trainings are provided to organizations throughout Missouri by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants’ (USCRI) Refugee Health Promotion Program. This interactive training gives attendees the chance to participate by asking questions and sharing experiences during open discussions. These trainings are free, 2 hours in length and can be offered virtually or in person. The two trainings available:

 

Please reach out to Ramya Gruneisen if you are interested in scheduling a training for your organization: [email protected].

Mental Health First Aid

Most of us would know how to help if we saw someone having a heart attack—we’d start CPR, or at the very least, call 9-1-1. But too few of us would know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack or if we were concerned that a friend or co-worker might be showing signs of alcoholism.

 

Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations about mental health and substance use problems by improving understanding and providing an action plan that teaches people to safely and responsibly identify and address a potential mental illness or substance use disorder.


When more people are equipped with the tools they need to start a dialogue, more people can get the help they need. Mental Health First Aiders are a vital link between someone experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge and appropriate supports.

 

Hear from Mental Health First Aiders in your community about how they have used their training to make a difference.


Sign up for a training near you using the button below.

Sign up

Children's Mental Health Training Series

Coming up in 2023, join the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH) for their Children’s Mental Health Training Series designed for those who work with or care for infants, children and youth. Upcoming workshop topics include ADHD, self-care, trauma, video gaming disorder, moving beyond behaviorism and more. New webinars are added regularly. Not able to join us live? No problem. Each webinar will be recorded and available for registered attendees to watch for 45 days following the live session.

  • January 30th: The Ethics of Self Care: Becoming a Resilient Therapist
  • February 6th: Video Gaming Disorder: Signs, Symptoms, and help
  • February 9th: Techniques for Connecting with Teens with Challenging Behavior
  • February 13th: Strategies for Effective Reflective Supervision
  • February 28th: Demystifying the Connection Between ADHD & Emotional Dysregulation/ Rejection Sensitivity
  • March 6th: Ethical Awareness in Reflective Consultation
  • March 13th: Trauma and Sensory Processing: Definitions, Examples and Strategies
  • March 27th: Understanding Social Emotional Development and a Way to Healing
  • April 13th: Beyond Behaviorism: Shifting the Lens When Assessing and Supporting Behaviors
Learn more

Mental Health Resources

General Resources

Events and Webinars

Missouri Family Support Provider Certification


A family support provider provides supports and services that increase protective factors. They oftentimes connect with the family member in a way that ignites the spark of hope that things can and will get better because they have experienced a similar journey.

 

March 1-3: Jefferson City, MO

April 24-26: Jefferson City, MO

May 9-11: St. Louis, MO

YMCA "Raising Mentally Fit Kids"


One out of every five people in the U.S. has a mental health diagnosis. While needing help with mental health is common, it currently takes an average of 10 years for people to get the help they need. Yet treatment is most helpful when diagnosis happens early.

Register here

Join this conversation to:

  • Hear from parents about their experiences supporting their kids' mental fitness.
  • Connect with free and low-cost mental health service providers.
  • Get questions answered by healthcare professionals.

 

February 23 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Carondelet Park Rec Complex

March 30 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Chesterfield Family YMCA

May 4 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Monroe County YMCA

CHADS ALL IN Conversations: Supporting Black Youth Mental Health


In 2019, the Congressional Black Caucus convened an Emergency Taskforce During Black History Month. During this conversation, Communities Healing Adolescent Depression and Suicide (CHADS) will focus on Black Youth Mental Health and how we can best support black youth.


February 7 at 6:00 p.m.

Register here

CHADS ALL IN Conversations: Brain Development and Childhood Milestones


How does a child's brain development? What are the important milestones to be on the look out for, specifically for adolescents? How do social emotional skills impact their development and overall functioning? CHADS will tackle all this and more during the March session of their All In Conversations.


March 7 at 6:00 p.m.

Register here

Be There Certificate


The Be There Certificate is a free, self-paced learning experience designed to increase mental health literacy and provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. It provides a deep understanding of Be There’s 5 Golden Rules — a simple but actionable framework on how to recognize when someone might be struggling with their mental health, your role in supporting that person, and how to connect them to the help they deserve.

Register here
Subscribe