New Mexico’s Refugee Mental Health Program

Amber Gray, MPH, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT, NCCState Refugee Mental Health Coordinator

Amber.Gray@State.nm.usrestorativeresources@gmail.com

New Mexico’s State Refugee Mental Health Program began in 2006

• Following 6 months of resource and needs assessment; the following services were established:– Screening (primary and secondary) and

assessment/referral• Primary screening is done as part of refugees’ health

screening at our DOH Public Health office• Secondary Screening is done by our Refugee Mental

Health Coordinator (“RMHC”) at our DOH Public Health office

Assessment and Referral

• Consists of an in depth, narrative history and story, conducted by the RMHC. When appropriate, standardized tools (Hopkins anxiety/depression; Foa PTSD; RMSC torture and war; RHS-1 (Hollifield); Quality of Life Scale for Refugees/Asylees/Asylum Seekers; UCLA PTSD indices; etc.) are used.

• Referrals are made to an increasingly specialized group of providers (Jessi Cross, BC-ATR; Dr. Brian Isaakson; Dr. Shannon Stromberg and team; Dr. Bill Wagner; Amber Gray, LPCC, BC-DMT). There is an increasing need for “specialized” (i.e refugee-centric, cross-culturally and trauma-informed) treatment.

Additional Services in the

State Refugee Mental Health Program

• Ongoing Follow-up for refugees waiting for referrals and treatment (provided by the RMHC)

• Coordination of networking meetings, case consults, and the recently formed Refugee Mental Health and Policy Task Force

• Training is available for providers and organizations on the following topics:

• Introduction to Refugee Mental Health 1 & 2• Culture as Resource• Somatic and Arts-based therapies for cross-cultural therapy• Tending the Helper’s Fire: Self Care and Organizational Staff Care• …and more• For program, referral, training and in-service inquires:

Amber.Gray@state.nm.us; amber@ecentral.com