conference 2022 recordings

PANEL: RACE, IDENTITY, AND MENTAL HEALTH

In recent years, cities and states across the United States have increasingly recognized racism as a public health crisis, a central component of which is mental health. Some members of immigrant and refugee communities face discrimination upon arrival to the U.S. and consequently suffer an array of impacts on their mental health. Others, upon settling in a new country and interacting with different cultures, grapple with questions of racial and other forms of identity in new ways. This panel will probe these complex intersections of race, identity, and mental health for refugees and immigrants in the U.S., sharing insights from research and practice.

Moderated by: Joseph Zorokong (Country Registration Specialist, FHI 360; Fletcher School alumnus & RIT Case Researcher: Lowell, MA) Panelists: Tabo Bo (Founder, Nomadic Voices), Sarah Morehouse (MALD Candidate & RIT Case Researcher: Utica, NY), Dr. Joelle Taos Taknint (Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow, Boston Center for Refugee Health & Human Rights), Rachel Vinciguerra (National Program Manager, Hello Neighbor)

SPOTLIGHT: EXPLORING PSYCHEDELIC-ASSISTED TREATMENTS

Migrants and refugees often report being exposed to high levels of stress before, during, and following their journeys. As a result, this population is disproportionately diagnosed with high levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other illnesses. Despite this increased need, migrants and refugees are less likely than ordinary populations to receive care. This spotlight will examine burgeoning research that explores the use of psychedelic drugs, like psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA, to meet the therapy needs of migrants and refugees and improve long-term mental health outcomes.

Speaker: Dr. David P. Roberson (Founder and CEO, Cacti Therapeutics)

PANEL: ONE HEALTH: HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT

A One Health approach centers the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. By better understanding the relationship between the living world, impacts on human health come into sharper focus: zoonotic diseases (like COVID-19), food safety and security, and environmental health, among others. What might a One Health approach reveal about mental health? This panel will explore the ways in which animals and the environment shape migrants’ and refugees’ mental health experiences post-displacement. It will consider how intentional interventions can breathe life into migrants’ and refugees’ connections with others and their new world.

Moderated by: Dr. Muhammad Zaman (Founding Faculty, Boston University Initiative on Forced Displacement) Panelists: Meg Daley Olmert (Science Advisor, The Big Fix Uganda’s Comfort Dog Project), Dr. Clare Rishbeth (Senior Lecturer, Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield), Dr. Benjamin Thomas White (Senior Lecturer of History, Department of Humanities, University of Glasgow)

SPOTLIGHT: SUPPORTING YOUTH REFUGEES — TRAUMA SYSTEMS THERAPY

The stress that child refugees and migrants experience does not end with the journeys. Beyond the traumatic stress that can result from the persecution, violence, or dangerous living conditions they are fleeting, children may experience compounding stress as a result of resettlement, acculturation, and isolation. Drawing on the resilience of children while recognizing their unique therapy needs to overcome this trauma, Dr. Ellis will present her pioneering Trauma Systems Therapy—Refugees (TST-R) framework. TST-R addresses social environmental and system-of-care factors, and employs components of prevention and intervention to improve outcomes for young people.

Speaker: Dr. Heidi Ellis (Director, Boston Children’s Hospital Trauma and Community Resilience Center)

PANEL: BORDER SPACES AND PERPETUAL WAITING

Migrants are often stuck for long periods of time in both physical and psychological borderlands, whether in refugee camps, transitional urban developments, detention centers, or continual feelings of uncertainty in new homes. This state of flux and constant movement can take a toll on refugee mental health as they grapple with the ambiguity of their future. Through this panel, we will seek to understand the mental health impact of living in perpetually transitional spaces and the challenges faced by refugees crossing borders. We will also discuss ways in which refugees in various border areas and liminal situations have coped with their uncertain environments and taken action to build community and support themselves and one another.

Moderated by: Dr. Katrina Burgess (Director, Henry J. Leir Institute; Associate Professor, Political Economy, The Fletcher School) Panelists: Akram (RIT Case Researcher: Beirut), Teodora Jovanović (Research Assistant, Institute of Ethnography SASA; RIT Case Researcher: Belgrade), Cassie Stewart (President, Rio Valley Relief Project), Barnabas Ticha Muvhuti (RIT Case Researcher: Cape Town)

SPOTLIGHT: CULTURALLY-COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTHCARE

Refugees and other migrants have unique mental health care needs stemming from experiences of war, trauma, loss, movement, and uncertainty around their status and situation. Traditional care practitioners without migrant-specific training often lack cultural awareness that can further exacerbate mental health issues for migrants. In this spotlight, we will learn about barriers to culturally-competent mental health care as well as ways in which care providers can and should incorporate knowledge about the particular circumstances and needs of refugees and migrants into their work.

Speaker: Sarah Bansen, APRN (Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center)