Provider Perspectives of Services Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Resettled Refugee Youth
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Provider Perspectives of Services Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Resettled Refugee Youth Shandra S. Forrest‑Bank1 · Mary L. Held1 · Aubrey Jones1
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019
Abstract A range of services are provided to assist resettled refugees with meeting their basic needs and supporting their integration in the United States. The inability to adequately assess and address the mental health needs among youth in this population is a concern raised by service providers who work with resettled refugees. The current study aimed to gain the perspectives of those who serve this population about the strengths and barriers to mental health services addressing the needs of resettled refugee youth. We conducted individual interviews and applied inductive qualitative methods to identify themes. Supplemental survey data were collected as well; descriptive findings are integrated into the themes. Analysis resulted in six themes. Refugee youth service providers observe high levels of resilience and positive development among youth who engage in programs, in addition to concerns that many refugee youth might not be thriving nor accessing adequate services. Providers’ recommendations for best practices focus mainly on cultural competence and engagement with youth in the context of their families, communities, and groups, and less on individual counseling. A depth of nuance and complexity regarding language and cultural barriers. Results contribute greater understanding and credence to the importance for improving the capacity to recognize and intervene in refugee youth mental health needs. Offers important insight for assessment of refugee youth programs and well-being, enhancing youth services, and approaching further research. Keywords Refugee youth · System of care · Mental health · Positive youth development The United States (U.S.) has long been a country where refugees have sought safety from traumatic and life-threatening situations, such as those caused by violence and war (Refugee Council USA, 2018). The U.S. provides a range of services and resources to aid with the resettlement process. For example, the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) assists with urgent housing, food, and medical requirements, links individuals to English classes, and aids in job acquisition for adults and school enrollment for youth (Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2017). These services are vital not only to resettled refugees’ survival, but also to the beginning steps toward integrating into their new country and culture. Tennessee has served as a refugee resettlement area since the 1980s. In 2001, Nashville (the state capital) was selected by ORR as one of three federally funded non-traditional immigrant destination cities through the initiative, Building * Shandra S. Forrest‑Bank [email protected] 1
College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
the New American Community (Ray & Morse, 2004). Tennessee has a long history of receiving refugees and between 2010
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