Annual summit examines resilience of refugees and their care providers

Refugees to the United States often need to search for housing, learn a new language and adapt to an unfamiliar culture. What can go unrecognized, however, are the mental health issues that many face.

UB brought together researchers, health care providers, community organizations and advocates in June for the New American Health Summit: Mental Health and Refugee Resilience, a day-long event focused on strengthening support systems for Western New York’s refugee communities, particularly regarding mental health.

Hosted by UB’s Office of Global Health Initiatives (OGHI), the summit highlighted the complex mental health challenges refugees face while emphasizing the resilience, strengths and community assets they bring with them.

School of Public Health and Health Professions Professor and OGHI Director Lina Mu opened the event, noting that 1 in 3 refugees experiences mental health issues, often with longer-lasting effects than those experienced by the general population. Addressing those challenges, she said, is essential to improving long-term health outcomes for these new Americans.

The summit aimed to foster knowledge-sharing among researchers, service providers and community partners, build capacity across organizations and address pressing concerns affecting refugee populations, particularly women and children.

Mu and OGHI Assistant Director Jennifer Foster organized the event in collaboration with organizations serving Western New York’s refugee community, including the International Institute of Buffalo, Journey’s End Refugee Services, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Catholic Charities of Buffalo, Jewish Family Services of Western New York and the Karen Society of Buffalo.

Faculty and researchers from across UB, including the School of Social Work, College of Arts and Sciences, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and the School of Public Health and Health Professions, also participated.

The morning featured two keynote presentations. Phil Plessas, New York State refugee health coordinator, and Naw Eh Kuh, program manager for the New York State Refugee Health Promotion Program, provided a state-level perspective on refugee mental health. They emphasized the importance of culturally responsive communication, respect for lived experiences and recognition of the resilience refugees have demonstrated throughout their journeys.

Kuh, who was born and raised in a refugee camp, described refugee health as fundamentally a public health issue shaped by communities and environments. She encouraged participants to approach refugees with curiosity and compassion and to recognize not only stories of survival, but also stories of strength and hope.

A second keynote by Pam Bos Kefi, CEO of Journey’s End Refugee Services, focused on the emotional toll refugee work can have on providers. She discussed vicarious trauma and “moral fatigue” among those serving vulnerable populations and stressed the importance of self-care, professional boundaries and maintaining connections to purpose and community.

“Your healing, joy, rest matters,” she reminded attendees, emphasizing that sustainable service requires sustainable caregivers.

The remainder of the morning featured “speed” presentations and panel discussions on topics including refugee health promotion, caregiver support, ongoing case management, intergenerational trauma, trauma-informed care and women’s health.

In the afternoon, participants moved into a series of interactive breakout sessions designed to encourage deeper discussion and collaboration.

One session examined mental health needs and available resources across generations, exploring how experiences of displacement and resettlement can affect children, parents and older adults differently. Another focused on the relationship between food systems, healthy neighborhoods and mental well-being, highlighting how access to nutritious food, safe environments and community connections can support mental health outcomes.

Additional sessions explored substance use and recovery, bringing together providers and community members to discuss barriers to care, pathways to healing and sources of hope. A fourth session addressed women’s health needs, examining the unique challenges refugee women face and the supports available to promote their physical and mental well-being.

Throughout the summit, speakers returned to a common theme: supporting refugee mental health requires collaboration, cultural understanding and a recognition of the resilience that refugees and the professionals who serve them bring to the work of healing.

By bringing together researchers, practitioners and community organizations, the summit, which has run periodically since 2014, once again created opportunities to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships and advance efforts to improve refugee health across Western New York.