The Minnesota Council of Churches recently expanded their services to refugees to include a three year survey and evaluation of mental health care options in the metropolitan area. Licensed social worker Sue Johnston (read her fantastic presentation on multicultural mental health here) has taken charge of the project, and is exploring a wide range of options that might increase accessibility to programming and decrease the stigma of seeking mental health treatment.
In a recent Minnpost article Johnston speaks to the challenge of moving past shame towards seeking help - "As we're talking to people about the grief or anxiety that they feel, or their inability to feel safe, we have to help them understand that they're not crazy," Johnston says. "If you've lived in a war zone, if you've been ripped away from your community or your home, that's a normal human response."
To get involved with one of the Council of Churches' programs for refugees you can visit their website and check their volunteer listings. Another organization that does a lot of work with refugee populations in the Twin Cities is the Center for Victims of Torture, and they also have a great need for volunteers.
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