Since 1965 the foreign-born population of the United States has swelled from 9.6 million or 5 percent of the population to 45 million or 14 percent in 2015. Today, about one-quarter of the U.S. population consists of immigrants or the children of immigrants. Given the sizable representation of immigrants in the U.S. population, their health is a major influence on the health of the population as a whole. On average, immigrants are healthier than native-born Americans. Yet, immigrants also are subject to the systematic marginalization and discrimination that often lead to the creation of health disparities. To explore the link between immigration and health disparities, the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity held a workshop in Oakland, California, on November 28, 2017. This summary of that workshop highlights the presentations and discussions of the workshop.

The Illinois Immigrant Policy Project (IIPP) began in 1995 to catalyze thinking about immigrant policy in the State of Illinois.

This book provides a framework to guide mental health providers who work with refugees and immigrants. Nearly 70 million people today are refugees or forcibly-displaced migrants. More than half of them are children suffering from the effects of dislocation and violence. The authors describe the unique needs and challenges of serving these populations, and offer concrete steps for providing evidence-based, culturally-responsive care. Using the socioecological model, the authors conceptualize the developing child as living within concentric circles that include family, school, neighborhood, and society, embedded within a cultural context. Mental health providers identify and provide targeted support to combat disruptions within any or all of these ecological layers. Chapters examine the complex ways in which culture impacts the refugee experience, barriers to engagement in mental health practice and strategies for overcoming them, assessment, collaborative and integrated mental health interventions, and efforts to increase resilience in children, families, and communities. The book is an essential guide for mental health providers, and all who seek to help children in need.

Features practical applications covering the intersection of legal and social services Using a foundational, institutional, and population-based approach illustrated with concrete examples, this innovative text will aid readers in the development of policy analysis skills, advocacy tools, and communication skills needed to work effectively with immigrants and refugees throughout the United States. The updated third edition includes four new chapters examining refugees and asylum, cultural humility and advocacy focused nonprofit organizations, public health and immigrants, and immigration and housing—areas that have recently seen extensive policy changes in practice and at the state and federal levels. Major updates throughout this solution-oriented text focus on how to enact positive systemic changes and include an extensive reorganization of the text to facilitate ease of use. The text provides specific information about how to engage immigrant clients and how to help them navigate the complicated and often unwelcoming American educational, health, housing, and criminal justice systems. The book also addresses ways to advocate for immigrants and refugees in micro, mezzo, and macro settings and information on at-risk groups such as women, children, and elderly. Chapters feature learning objectives, case studies with discussion questions, and additional resources including sample documents. Instructors will also welcome a customizable sample syllabus and chapter PowerPoints. New to the Third Edition: New chapters exploring refugees and asylum, cultural humility and advocacy focused nonprofit organizations, public health and immigrants, and immigration and housing Examines in depth how to enact positive systemic changes Provides an overview of immigration categories with a focus on highly vulnerable refugees and asylees Up-to-date immigration policy information Updates to federal government benefits and programs for immigrant workers Key Features: Combines direct social service, systems change advocacy, and immigration strategies Integrates social work and immigration law, perspectives on health, mental health, education, employment, housing, and more Focuses on practical skills reinforced through case studies Examines the needs of specific at-risk immigrant population including refugees, women, children, and older adults Supports social work competencies essential for CSWE accreditation

This book analyzes important international cases of immigrant and refugee health from diverse communication perspectives, providing theoretical frames and effective recommendations for designing future health communication campaigns and interventions for global health promotion. Internationally renowned scholars elucidate the reality of health communication situations that immigrants and refugees experience in host countries around the globe and examine how national and global health risk situations, including the COVID-19 pandemic, affect immigrant and refugee health during difficult health circumstances. Offering effective health communication strategies for promoting immigrant and refugee health, the book also provides lessons learned from past and present health communication campaigns, responses of diverse communities, and governmental policies. This book with many case studies from major host countries on different continents, this book will be of interest to anyone researching or studying in the areas of health communication, public health, international relations, public administration, nursing, and social work.

Social work practice with refugees and immigrants requires specialized knowledge of these populations and specialized adaptations and applications of mainstream services and interventions. Because they are often confronted with cultural, linguistic, political, and socioeconomic barriers, these groups are especially vulnerable to psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, alienation, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as concerns arising from inadequate health care. Institutionalized discrimination and anti-immigrant policies and attitudes only exacerbate these challenges. The second edition of Best Practices for Social Work with Refugees and Immigrants offers an update to this comprehensive guide to social work with foreign-born clients and an evaluation of various helping strategies and their methodological strengths and weaknesses. Part 1 sets forth the context for evidence-based service approaches for such clients by describing the nature of these populations, relevant policies designed to assist them, service-delivery systems, and culturally competent practice. Part 2 addresses specific problem areas common to refugees and immigrants and evaluates a variety of assessment and intervention techniques in each area. Using a rigorous evidence-based and pancultural approach, Miriam Potocky and Mitra Naseh identify best practices at the macro, meso, and micro levels to meet the pressing needs of uprooted peoples. The new edition incorporates the latest research on contemporary social work practice with refugees and immigrants to provide a practical, up-to-date resource for the multitude of issues and interventions for these populations.