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Immigrants and refugees represent a diverse and growing population worldwide. They come from various cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds and often face numerous challenges as they adjust to life in their new countries. This population includes individuals who have fled their home countries due to war, persecution, economic instability, or natural disasters. They often experience forced displacement, which leads to significant physical, mental, and emotional stress ( Mrabe, 2021)​. There is a stigma around receiving help along with language barriers and other psychosocial challenges (Im & Swan, 2022). This population often struggles with cultural competence, community engagements, economic stability, education and health literacy and overall well-being.

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Collaborating with local schools, community centers, churches, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals to provide resources and support for refugees can enhance their integration process. These partnerships can offer educational programs, job training, and healthcare services tailored to the needs of refugees​

Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) can play a role in advocating for broader systemic changes that support the health and well-being of immigrants and refugees. This includes participating in policy discussions, contributing to public awareness campaigns, and engaging in research that highlights the specific needs of these populations

Advocating for OTPs to become education on cultural difference their clients to ensure they are providing the most inclusive and effective care.

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Information Sessions: Providing information sessions about local services, legal rights, and community resources can empower refugees to navigate their new environment more effectively.

Cultural Competence Workshops: Providing refugees with cultural competence workshops can help them understand and adapt to the cultural norms and values of the host community. These workshops can cover topics such as local customs, social norms, and everyday practices.

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The purpose of this program is to help immigrates and refuges understand the role of OTPs and how we as a profession can get involve and make a difference. Within our scope of practice we can help this population increase the following: cultural awareness, community integration, sense of belonging , mental/physical health, independence in daily/ meaningful task and overall well-being.

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Employment Stability: With ongoing support and skill development, refugees can secure stable employment, leading to financial independence and improved quality of life. This stability can reduce reliance on social services and contribute to the local economy​

Literacy Improvement Programs: Long-term literacy programs can significantly improve the reading and writing skills of refugees. Continuous education tailored to different age groups can help both children and adults achieve higher literacy levels, which are critical for their overall integration and success in society

Improved well-being Mental Health Benefits: Long-term engagement in meaningful activities and social integration to improve the mental health of refugees, reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and etc. Providing access to consistent mental health support and community networks

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Location: community center:

Frequency: 1x a week for 2 hours

Group size: 15 participants, 3 participants to every 3 OTPs in session .

Session 1: Orientation and Cultural Adjustment

Welcome and Introductions: Ice-breaker activities to help participants get to know each other and build trust.

Overview of occupational therapy: Explanation of what OT is and how we can help in their daily lives  and discussion of the specific services that we provide and overview of the sessions

Q & A sessions: open forum for all participants to ask question about the session and what they are looking for out of are session and most challenging aspects of being and immigrant and how we can help

Session 2: Navigating Community Resources

Information Session: Overview of local resources such as healthcare, public transportation, and legal services.

Role-Playing: Simulations to practice using public services and interacting with service providers.

Community Mapping: Creating a visual map of important community locations and resources.

Session 3: Health and Well-being

Health Education: Workshops on preventive health practices, nutrition, and accessing healthcare services.

Physical Activity: Introduction to simple exercises and activities that promote physical health and well-being.

Mental Health Support: Discussions on coping strategies for stress, trauma, and mental health resources.

Session 4: Employment and Financial Stability

Job Readiness Training: Resume writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Financial Literacy: Basics of budgeting, banking, and managing finances.

Session 5: Literacy and Education

Language and Literacy Classes: Continued language instruction tailored to the needs of participants.

Educational Opportunities: Information on local educational programs, schools, and vocational training.

Session 6: Building Social Networks

Support Groups: Facilitating group discussions where participants can share experiences and support each other.

Community Events: Planning and participating in local events to foster social connections.

Mentorship Programs: Pairing participants with local mentors for ongoing support and guidance.

Session 7: Legal and Social Services

Legal Rights Workshop: Information on legal rights, immigration processes, and accessing legal aid.

Social Services Navigation: Guidance on accessing housing, public assistance, and other social services.

Case Studies: Real-life scenarios to practice problem-solving and navigating bureaucratic systems.

Session 8: Celebration and Reflection

Review and Feedback: Reflecting on what has been learned and achieved throughout the sessions.

Celebration Event: A community celebration to acknowledge the progress and build lasting connections.

Future Planning: Discussing next steps, ongoing support, and how participants can continue to engage with the community.

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To encourage the programs activities, we will include:

Facilitators:

Utilize partnerships with accredited occupational therapy programs for students participation

Local health professionals in the community (social workers, psychologist, primary health providers, specialist on government programs)

These individuals will give mini presentations on their individual roles and responsibilities on how they can help ease transition and will provide contact information at the end

Consumers: Immigrants & Refugees

Location: Will vary among different community centers in large meeting rooms based on reservation (Public libraries, city hall, or surrounding area)

Program will utilize a longstanding website to keep followers informed

The program will utilize onsite facility safety kits

Program will utilize fliers within the used facility, social media, and post in variety of public places

Will provide attendees with “a welcome pack” including the following:

1 notebook, a pen, and a information brochure of community resources

The program will start with 30 of each

Financial:

Utilize TOTF research grants based in Texas ($5,000 for the first 6 months) (TOTFadm1917, 2021)

Donations from the community to assist with any additional cost

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Once the program is completed, we expect that each individual who participated will gain the following:

Self confidence to obtain support in services around the community

Support in trauma exposure, post migration stressors on health, and decrease discrimination bias from OTPs

Increased understanding of individual backgrounds and building trust amongst the community members around

Increased knowledge of health services and what the community has to provide to the members

Completion of 1 session per month for a total of six months

Participants will complete tasks outlined at the beginning of program they wish to achieve prior to end date (at least 5 goals)

Participants will need to complete at least 75% of personal goals outlined

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Im, H., & Swan, L. E. T. (2022). “We Learn and Teach Each Other”: Interactive Training for Cross-Cultural Trauma-Informed Care in the Refugee Community. Community Mental Health Journal, 58(5), 917–929. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-021-00899-2

Mrabe, K. (2021). Exploring the role of occupational therapy and refugees. OccupationalTherapy.com. https://www.occupationaltherapy.com/articles/exploring-role-occupational-therapy-and-5457

TOTFadm1917. (2021, January 30). Grants. https://texasotf.org/grants