Building Collective Capacity
A public health approach to immigrant mental health focuses on prevention and on the collective. One effective strategy to help prevent mental health crises and promote community health and wellness is to intentionally and actively build the capacity in our communities to take care of ourselves and each other.
Well-Being as Practice Support Initiative
For immigrant and refugee communities, the current moment is incredibly stressful -- negatively impacting our well-being. When we and our communities are not well, we cannot win. But when we can care for ourselves and each other, the possibilities are endless.
In response, CIMH is offering a comprehensive program to respond to the daily, ongoing trauma our immigrant and refugee communities are experiencing. Offerings will include:
- Monthly community-centered Well-Being as Practice in Times of Systemic Trauma training
- Weekly virtual, open support space held by clinicians and other healers to allow community members an opportunity to process together the impact of all that is happening.
- Monthly, virtual self-care space that will bring in different practitioners (yoga, reiki, art, etc.) to lead participants through a one-hour practice of care.
- Practice Signal groups led by clinicians to create pods of support in the community
- Creation of workbooks, videos, zines, and other resources that can provide support to community members on the ground.
This program is designed and prioritized for directly impacted community members on the ground who are showing up for their communities every day, and who often have limited (or no) organizational support. This may include rapid response volunteers, community members doing deportation defense and ICE watch, community navigators, promotoras, etc.
If you are interested in wellbeing practices being offered, click HERE.
If you are directly impacted and are on the ground working to protect your communities, sign up HERE.
Wellbeing as Practice in Times of Systemic Trauma
A three-hour training for front-line workers of immigrant/refugee-facing organizations. The main objectives of this training are to:
1) Provide context for the moments we are living in
2) Provide a baseline of understanding for: trauma, vicarious trauma/proximity, stress, and well-being
3) Provide concrete tools and/or practices that can. help care for self and others
The initial 8 trainings were made possible with the support of the Illinois Immigration Funders Collaborative (IFC), and were offered in several languages. If you are interested in training for your team, please contact us at info@ourcimh.org. Trainings are offered on a sliding scale.
Reimagining Mental Health Supports for Migrant Arrivals
This course is designed for non-mental health providers and focuses on the foundational level of mental health training.
A comprehensive online course that CIMH created in partnership with Anne and Robert L Hurie Children’s Hospital and the University of Chicago Crown Family School. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) funded this project.