Case Managers and Service Providers
Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress among Refugee Resettlement Workers in the United States: This study explores the significance of compassion as an element of staff well-being and organizational effectiveness in refugee resettlement settings. It focuses on current and former resettlement staff in direct service roles, highlighting their experiences of compassion, satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress, specifically in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and Operation Allies Welcome.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides callers access to professional counselors via phone or text, real-time support and information, and a response time of just a few minutes. The hotline is available 24/7 and offers referrals to local or telehealth providers and support groups. Additionally, the hotline provides services in 60 languages, including Dari and Pashto.
Supporting Self-Sufficiency: Considerations for Refugees’ Transition out of Sponsorship and Complementary Pathways Programs: A common challenge of humanitarian protection pathways is identifying how refugees will transition out of these programs to independently navigate life in their new country. This MPI Europe issue brief identifies lessons learned to date about how program organizers and volunteers can best support the transition out of sponsorship and propel individuals toward longer-term integration
Foundations Of Mandatory Reporting For Refugee Service Providers: This recorded webinar covers the basics of mandatory reporting, including what is considered a reportable situation, to whom service providers should report, and what crucial information to include in a report. Case scenarios allow participants to explore the difficulties balancing and managing client trust, confidentiality, and relationships while upholding mandatory reporting responsibilities.
Citizenship Application Fee and Waivers: This article from USAHello breaks down the fee waiver for the USCIS citizenship application and outlines eligibility requirements for getting a reduced fee. Currently, online application fees are $710, but can be reduced to $380.
Group Mentoring for Immigrant and Refugee Professionals: Recognizing the value of network-building and mentoring relationships, WES has published a step-by-step guide designed to help organizations to start their own group mentoring program for immigrant and refugee professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce.
Empowering Immigrant Communities to Fight Against Fraud in Multiple Languages: In this webinar recording, Welcoming America shares how to spot and avoid common scams, and how to use the Federal Trade Commission’s new educational materials in multiple languages to help people in your community protect themselves against scammers.
Answering FAQs on Creating Effective Newcomer Resumes and Using Switchboard’s Resume Template: This Switchboard blog post and the accompanying resume template and sample resume are designed to streamline the resume creation process, ensuring that clients’ resumes effectively communicate their unique skills and experiences to potential employers.
The Road Ahead: A Domestic Cultural Orientation Curriculum: The Road Ahead contains easy-to-use, adaptable materials for cultural orientation providers, including a curriculum guide, four session planning guides, and four session slide decks. The materials can be used with minimal modifications, or adapted to reflect your organization’s specific services, needs, and goals.
The Eight Stages Of Co-Creation: Tips For Refugee Service Providers On Using Inclusive Approaches In Their Work: This Switchboard blog post describes how service providers can use design thinking and the co-creative process through technology to address ongoing and emerging barriers to newcomers’ self-sufficiency and integration.
Empowering Newcomer Women in the Workforce: Four Strategies for Career Exploration: Service providers have the unique opportunity to leverage these capabilities and empower newcomer women to actively engage in the workplace. This blog post addresses employment barriers that women face and explores strategies for supporting newcomer women in their career development.
Check out the Missouri Family Resources website to access their free resource database. By entering your zip code, the system creates a list of resources in your area ranging from food, housing, transit, health and more! This is an easy way to find resources in your area without having to stress about doing your own research!
Navigating MyUSCIS: Using USCIS Online Accounts To File And Track Immigration Forms: This resource, developed by Switchboard and VECINA, serves as a comprehensive toolkit for service providers and clients to navigate myUSCIS online accounts effectively. It offers clear instructions and insights to enhance comprehension and streamline processes.
Resources To Help Explain Refugee Eligibility For College Admissions: Refugees resettled in the U.S. sometimes face unique challenges explaining their immigration status and eligibility to enroll in colleges and universities in the United States. Here is a roundup of resources that can help refugee students, college and university staff, and refugee-serving organizations understand refugee eligibility for higher education admissions.
Resource Collection: Financial Empowerment For Refugees And Newcomers: Understanding the U.S. financial system equips newcomers with vital skills for informed decision-making, promoting financial stability, safeguarding against exploitation, and fostering self-reliance. These resources can help service providers to offer this support.
In-Home Health and Safety Checklist: This checklist, which focuses mostly on safety concerns inside of the home, is based on a survey of providers’ experiences and can be a useful reference during meetings or home visits with clients
NPNA’s Community Navigator & Inclusion Institute offers an array of expert and practical training to organizations and government agencies who share their vision and are working toward full immigrant and refugee inclusion. Offerings include comprehensive training and technical assistance to organizations and local government, philanthropy, and immigration stakeholders across the country aiming to increase capacities and engagement opportunities for staff and leaders assisting immigrants and refugees in their communities.
Resource Collection: Financial Empowerment For Refugees And Newcomers: To support service providers, Switchboard has compiled the following list of recommended resources. While some resources may be useful to share directly with clients, this resource guide is primarily intended for use by service providers supporting newcomers’ financial capabilities.
Considerations For Implementing New Case Management Software In Resettlement Programs: This guide, developed by Switchboard, presents considerations for programs and providers when thinking about new case management software, with an accompanying sample worksheet to prioritize software options and functionality.
Identifying Possible E-Verify Related Employment Discrimination: This fact sheet, developed by the U.S Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, to assist workers and their advocates in identifying possible E-Verify-related discrimination. This resource is available in English.
Case Management Documentation: Making The Paperwork Work For You: While most case managers know that proper documentation is crucial for maintaining ethical standards and program compliance, it can often feel burdensome and overwhelming. This blog post explores ways to streamline processes so that documentation supports, rather than hinders, the compassionate care case managers provide to clients each day.
Immigrants’ Eligibility for U.S. Public Benefits: A Primer: The Migration Policy Institute compiled a report on immigrants’ eligibility for programs and services related to general assistance, health and nutrition, employment and income, education, housing, and driver’s licenses. Many standard eligibility rules that were previously waved during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic have been reinstated which could change rules for certain groups. Switchboard has a new blog regarding Case Management Documentation, with links to guides on ‘Creating High-Quality Case Management Documentation’ and ‘Case Note Template’.
Stay Safe During Freezing Temperatures: As winter temperatures dip, brief exposure to severe cold and wind chill poses a potentially life-threatening risk. Share information with newcomers on how to stay safe in the cold in English, Dari, Pashto, Russian, and Ukrainian with this resource from Settle In.
How To Check Case Processing Times describes how to use the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services self-service options when checking case processing times and how to use the online tool.
Preventing Crises And De-Escalating Difficult Situations With Newcomer Clients: Resettled refugees have frequently experienced past trauma and prolonged stress, which can continue following resettlement. While there is no one-size-fits-all strategy, this guide reviews skills and practices that can prevent crisis, reduce harm, and de-escalate situations.
Trauma-Informed Care: A Primer for Refugee Service Providers: Switchboard created an information guide that describes some of the common principles and guiding practices of trauma-informed care.
Resume Building For First-Time Jobseekers: Tips For Service Providers: This blog post outlines tips and conversation starters for service providers to assist clients with resume building.
Tool: Sample Intensive Case Management Onboarding Guide: This customizable resource from Switchboard offers a framework for onboarding new staff members who will provide intensive case management services.
Resource Collection: Getting Started in Navigating ORR Eligibility: This blog post gathers some key resources for service providers who are new to the work of navigating ORR eligibility requirements and documentation.
Child Care Resources for Refugee Service Providers: Ensuring Working Families Thrive: In this post, we discuss several child care resources and strategies tailored for service providers who support newcomers with young children.
TEMPLATE: Case Note Template: This template is an example of how case notes may be standardized for your program. It's designed for easy customization to your program’s unique needs and compliance requirements.
Meeting Newcomers’ Protection Needs Part I: A Collection of Resources on Community Safety and Crime: Switchboard developed this resource list to enhance service providers’ knowledge of the safety and protection issues that impact clients and to identify beneficial resources to support them.
Meeting Newcomers’ Protection Needs Part II: A Collection of Resources on Sexual and Gender-based Violence: This blog post from Switchboard shares service provider resources, which can be used for adult and youth clients. ORR’s fact sheets on resettlement benefits and eligibility: The link has information for ORR-eligible populations in multiple languages.
Training and Supporting Community Members Serving as Interpreters: This webinar offers tips to help service providers better plan for the training needs of interpreters. Using case scenarios, you will learn ways to help ensure that multilingual community members provide more accurate, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informed interpretation services that meet the unique needs of newcomer clients.
Improving Stakeholder Coordination in Refugee Resettlement: A Path to More Effective, Inclusive Programs This report explores the diversity of stakeholders involved in refugee resettlement, and the importance of robust coordination at all stages of the process (from program design to predeparture planning and post-arrival support). It also examines what coordination mechanisms exist—or could be created—to organize the work of these many actors.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Answering Frequently Asked Questions for Service Providers: Applying for SSI can be a long and complicated process, but this blog post from Switchboard aims to answer some of the most common FAQs about SSI among providers serving refugees and other newcomers.
Guide: Creating High-Quality Case Management Documentation: This guide will teach you how to create high-quality case management documentation. You will learn how to: recognize the importance of documentation within the case management cycle; describe and create different elements of a case file, including case notes, service plans, and critical incident reports; and utilize new techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of case management documentation.
Toolkit: Safety and Wellness: Training + Resources: This toolkit from the Center for Adjustment, Resilience, and Recovery offers training and additional resources on the Safety & Wellness Benchmarks--a compilation of 15 individual scales that measure observable change during the provision of case management for forcibly displaced populations in the US.
Archived Webinar: Balancing the Demanding Needs of Case Management: Do you want to improve your work-life balance while maintaining a high level of support for clients? This webinar shared techniques for organizational resiliency, staff care, and managing occupational hazards such as burnout and vicarious trauma.
Evidence Summary: What are the impacts of case management on refugees?: This evidence summary assesses the state of available evidence regarding the impacts of case management in refugee resettlement programs.
The Inclusive Language Guide is a resource developed by OXFAM to support people who have to communicate in English to think about how the way they write can subvert or inadvertently reinforce intersecting forms of inequality that we work to end. The language recommended is drawn from specialist organizations which provide advice on language preferred by marginalized people, groups and communities.
Apps for Translation and Interpretation: Switchboard has compiled a list of mobile apps to support refugee service providers in navigating challenges of interpretation, translation, and resource-sharing in linguistically and culturally supportive ways.
Colorín Colorado has launched a new family literacy guide in Spanish: "Aprender a leer" offers tips, videos, and resources for different ages and stages. The English version, Reading 101 for Families, is available here.
USCIS has created videos covering different steps of the naturalization process:
Resource Collection: Getting Started in Navigating ORR Eligibility: This blog post from Switchboard gathers some key resources for service providers who are new to the work of navigating ORR eligibility requirements and documentation.
Intersectionality Matters: A Guide to Engaging Immigrant and Refugee Communities To Prevent Violence Against Women: This guide outlines how we can all work effectively together, with immigrant and refugee communities, to prevent violence against women.
Making Sense of Mobile Apps: A Collection of Interpretation, Translation, and Integration Apps for Newcomers: Switchboard has compiled a list of mobile apps to support refugee service providers in navigating challenges of interpretation, translation, and resource-sharing in linguistically and culturally supportive ways.
Three Ways to Support Newcomers’ Personal Financial Health: This blog post from Switchboard explores three areas critical to navigating the financial system in the U.S.: financial literacy education, opening bank accounts, and building credit. By addressing these key areas, service providers can play a pivotal role in improving newcomers’ financial health and well-being.
For clients observing Ramadan:
EAD Guide Learn how to get authorized to work in the USA. Find information on the work permit application and special circumstances based on status.
Public Charge As of December, only 2 types of public benefits count towards public charge: public cash assistance and long-term government care.
Tarjimly App Demo: Connecting Refugees and Welcomers to On-Demand Interpretation: Learn about this free language access resource from Tarjimly staff as they explain how sponsors, volunteers, and refugees can download and use the tool.
Could 40 Seconds of Compassion Make a Difference for Resettled Refugees? Compassionate service delivery is associated with increased staff well-being, lower rates of staff turnover, and improved organizational performance. These important potential benefits of being more deliberately compassionate in resettlement contexts are the subjects of future discussions.
Evidence Summary: What can help refugees process traumatic grief? This document from Switchboard summarizes the state of available evidence regarding the impacts of interventions targeting traumatic grief and bereavement with refugee populations.
Tip Sheet: Who is a Refugee, Afghan Evacuee, and Asylum Seeker? This factsheet from Refugee Housing Solutions breaks down the definitions of refugee and asylum seeker under both international and U.S. law, as well as an overview of what it means to be an Afghan evacuee.
Switchboard’s webinar Assisting Newcomers with Navigating the U.S. Health Care System: An Introduction for Direct Service Providers received especially positive reviews. You can watch this and other archived webinars from Switchboard at the time of your choosing. Search under learning resources.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Guides: Eligibility, Application, and Humanitarian Parole Distinctions These resources, created by Migration and Refugee Services, explain the TPS eligibility requirements, and the application process.
Eligibility for Matching Grant (MG) Flow Chart: This flow chart can be used by service providers during the Matching Grant intake or assessment process to determine eligibility. Click here to explore
The Social Security Administration updated the publication "Social Security Numbers for Noncitizens" by adding details specific to nonwork SSN evidence requirements. The updates include the documentation required for nonwork SSNs, situations in which SSNs are not needed, and the information that must be included in letters from a benefit granting agency for nonwork SSN applications. Hopefully, these updates will reduce repeat field office visits caused by applicants not having the correct documentation.
Social Security Numbers for Noncitizens: This resource, created by the Social Security Administration, provides resources for noncitizens regarding social security numbers. Service providers and clients can use this resource and the Immigration webpage to find more answers about how to obtain a SSN, multilanguage resources, and resources for workers and students.
Understanding, Raising, and Documenting the Match: This toolkit was designed specifically as a foundational resource for new staff, interns, and volunteers who support your agency’s Matching Grant (MG) program. Readers will develop a working knowledge of the match requirement, think through strategies for raising match, and review guidance for accurately documenting match.
What Can We Do to Protect Clients and Staff? Tips for Getting Started with Safeguarding and Protection, a Switchboard blog post, reviews two key terms, safeguarding and protection, that relate to service providers’ roles in ensuring the safety of clients and staff.
Demystifying the Family Self Sufficiency Plan (FSSP): How Does it Help ORR, State Refugee Coordinators, and Service Providers Improve Services? In October 2021, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) issued new Family Self-Sufficiency Plan requirementsfor those receiving employment-related Refugee Support Services (RSS). This new guidance requires, a “whole-family approach” to addressing barriers to employment and economic self-sufficiency
Introduction to Case Management for Refugee Service Providers: For agencies looking for additional resources for new staff, in this interactive e-learning course, you will go through seven modules relating to best practices and service delivery techniques to effectively engage with and support refugees as they adjust to social and economic life in their new community. You will learn how to use a strengths-based case management approach which emphasizes the inherent resources each individual has to achieve their goals and to become self-reliant.
A Collection of Resources for Onboarding New Refugee Service Providers: This blog post, written in partnership with Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE). shares resources for new refugee service providers organized by topics such as case management, understanding refugee populations, equity and inclusion, mental health, employment, and more.
Archived Webinar: New to Refugee Services? Free Training, Technical Assistance, and Tools to Help You in Your Work: This webinar provides a brief overview of Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE) and Switchboard, two federally funded training projects that work to help build capacity of refugee service providers in the U.S. You’ll learn about the free learning opportunities offered by CORE and Switchboard and find out where to learn more about additional training relevant to your work
What Can We Do to Protect Clients and Staff? In situations where people may be dependent or partially dependent on systems, agencies, or other individuals to meet their needs, there is an increased risk of abuse, exploitation, or harassment. Switchboard’s recent resources focus on the key terms of safeguarding, protection, and rights and responsibilities. These resources explain the role of the service provider in ensuring the safety of clients and staff. Click here to access the information guide Client Rights and Responsibilities and click here to read the blog post Tips for Getting Started with Safeguarding and Protection.
What are the Impacts of Case Management on Refugees? Switchboard’s latest evidence summary examines studies of case management programs for refugee adults, unaccompanied refugee minors, and refugee children that focus on mental health, health care access, transitioning to life in the U.S., financial wellbeing, and more. Click here to access the summary!
Effective Case Consultations and Case Conferences: This resource contains two documents related to effective case consultations and case conferences: an information guide that provides guidance including the difference between case consultations and case conferences, how to prepare and who should participate, and what to do during the meeting; and a documentation template that can be customized and completed by service providers with important notes.
Public Benefits Overview for Refugees and Other Humanitarian Immigrants: This tool provides a summary of what benefits may be available to families with children, single adults or couples with no minor children, and disabled individuals and adults over 65. Timeframes listed begin on arrival to the United States or, for Afghan newcomers, on the date of arrival into the community.
Empathic Communication in Resettlement, Asylum and Integration Settings: You will learn what empathic communication is, what foundational skills you need to communicate empathically, and how to use empathic communication techniques with your clients.
Introduction to Gender-Sensitive Project Design: This self-paced course is designed to provide an in-depth introduction to gender-sensitive project design. It provides an overview of what gender-sensitive programs are; reviews how to develop gender-sensitive theories of change; describes how to conduct a basic gender analysis; and introduces key concepts in gender-sensitive M&E planning, including how to develop a logical framework
Information Guide: Demystifying Strengths-based Services: This brief information guide aims to equip those working in U.S. refugee resettlement with evidence-informed strategies to deliver strengths-based programming.
Does Self-care Really Matter to My Health or Identity?, a Switchboard blog post, offers some tips to help staff protect themselves from overwhelming stress, particularly around nurturing relationships, work life and hobbies, material safety, and values.
Are Your Programs and Services Evidence-Based? Implementation Science can Help! From Switchboard: Many resettlement agencies want to design and deliver more evidence-based services, but providers often struggle with putting available evidence into action. Guidance from the field of implementation science can help address this challenge.
Culturally Responsive Approach to Gender-Based Violence:
Switchboard, Fundamentals of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) for Refugee Service Providers: The What, Why, and How of Safety Planning
Digging into the nitty gritty of client documentation and immigration status? Here’s a refresher on the difference between asylum and withholding of removal.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Contact Center Tip Sheet on how to communicate effectively with the USCIS Contact Center and outlines the use of online self-help tools and inquiry channels to ensure the best use of live telephone assistance.
A Trauma-Informed Understanding of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Switchboard’s new information guide reviews key MHPSS concepts relevant to those who are designing and implementing services that seek to improve resettled refugees’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. A supplemental webinar is also available.
Using Participatory Methods for More Inclusive Project Design and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): This information guide provides a brief introduction to the participation continuum; how to support successful participatory engagement; examples of specific methods and when to use them; and resources for learning more about the power, potential, and practical side of participatory methods.
What works to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence (IPV) among refugees? Switchboard’s latest evidence summary examines the evidence surrounding the most effective interventions for IPV. It assesses the effectiveness of interventions that focus on the unique contexts of refugees and immigrants, engage with community members, and are tailored according to participants’ lived experiences, needs, and abilities. It also includes implications for practice. Click here to access this summary.
Understanding Social Identities in Resettlement Services: Switchboard’s new information guide is designed to aid in deeper engagement on race, equity, and social identities in resettlement services.
UNPROTECTED: Chin IDPs in Chin and Rakhine States, Myanmar/Burma from the Chin Association of Maryland, outlines the context of persecution against Chins in southern Chin State and Rakhine State in Myanmar/Burma. It especially focuses on the threats to their security and poor humanitarian conditions resulting from the ongoing violence. It also describes how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Best Practices Guide for Working with Karen, Nepali-Bhutanese, Oromo, and Somali Families in Child Welfare: Second Edition, from the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW), is intended as an overview of selected topics that are relevant to providing culturally responsive services to families with refugee backgrounds and understanding their unique needs. General themes were identified through a literature review and interviews with refugee families. The term ‘refugee’ is a broad category that encompasses an extremely diverse group of people with unique cultures, histories, and experiences.