Mental Health Services
After experiencing war, poverty, trauma, and relocation, new refugees must also face the challenges of building a new life in a new country. This extreme stress puts refugees at high risk for mental health issues. Many refugees and immigrants also arrive with complicated trauma histories and require specialized treatment.
JFCS East Bay’s mental health programs for Afghans, Iranians, Iraqis, Syrians, and Russians focus on assessing each refugee or immigrant to determine their mental health status and needed services. This early intervention helps prevent larger crises later in life. If appropriate, our own Farsi/Dari-speaking psychologist will provide direct therapy services. Case managers are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems. When outside services are needed, our staff provides case management, advocacy, and translation to help refugees and immigrants connect with mental health providers.
In addition to working individually with refugees and immigrants, our Farsi-, Dari-, Arabic-, and Russian-speaking staff also provides group presentations on mental health topics. These workshops help our clients understand how to differentiate between normal immigration stress and more serious issues, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression, and how to determine which services they need.
