From Elizabeth Carll:
Refugee Mental Health Resource Network Database
Volunteer Application Portal Now Open
An APA Interdivisional Project
Elizabeth Carll, PhD, Chair
Dear Interested Volunteer,
As promised we are following up to provide the access link to the database application, as the portal is now open, after many months of development. The link is below along with some brief background information.
Forced migration due to wars, conflict, and persecution worldwide continued to grow, with the number of people displaced within their country or having fled internationally reaching more than 59 million with some statistics even higher. This is the highest level ever recorded according to estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Mental health/psychosocial response are increasingly important components of programs for crisis affected migrants seeking asylum and refugee resettlement. There has been a great need for these services and often the demand far exceeds the supply of mental health professionals. To help meet these needs, the Refugee and Mental Health Resource Network database was developed to make available volunteer psychologists, within the US and globally, to help fill the need for evaluations and support services. As a result, Division 56 and cosponsoring Divisions 35, 52, and 55 obtained a CODAPAR grant from APA to subsidize this project, in part.
We have been gathering names of psychologists and mental health professionals interested in volunteering to provide services to refugees, migrants and internally displaced people. Some volunteers have experience working with refugees, and others have trauma experience, while the database was being developed. Application portal is below.
In addition, there has been significant interest by students who would like to receive training and volunteer to be able to help in some way. Also included are psychologists who are interested in conducting research with refugees, migrants and (IDPs). We are also gathering a list of non-profit refugee focused organizations that provide services or information.
To begin to meet the demand for training, 6 free webinars have been developed and provided in 2017 addressing various aspects of services for refugees including asylum evaluations. These webinars will be available for volunteers and additional webinars are in the planning.
The interactive database is now open for volunteers to enter their own information. The application process should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Go to:
Volunteer Sign-up: Refugee Mental Health Resource Network
If you experience any difficulty, please contact us at RefMHResNetwk2@optimum.net We look forward to your participation in this timely pro-bono humanitarian project.