1. Engaging Immigrant Families
Kate Reen, MSW Assistant Director, Youth Initiatives Northern Virginia Family Services ,

2. Agenda: Introductions Barriers to engagement
Current environment influences
Practices to increase engagement
Puzzle piece
Closing thoughts

3. Northern Virginia Family Service
NVFS Program Areas
Healthy Families
Multi-cultural Center
Immigration Legal Services
Housing Assistance
Health Access
Workforce Development
Therapeutic Foster and Respite Care
Early Childhood
Youth Initiatives
See for more details
Youth Initiatives Programs:
The IPE Gang Prevention Program
VPIP – Violence Prevention and Intervention Program
The Family Reunification Program
School Specific Groups for Recently Immigrated Youth

4. NVFS and Immigrant Families
61% of NVFS clients born outside the US
95% of Youth Initiatives clients born outside the US
81% of NVFS clients whose primary language is not English
Regarding Country of Birth out of the 19,853 clients served on FY18 only 14,756 reported their Country of Birth (74%).
61% of NVFS clients born outside the US
Regarding Country of Birth out of the 2,075 clients served on FY18 only 1,354 reported their Country of Birth (65%).
95% of Youth Initiatives clients born outside the US
Regarding Language out of the 19,853 clients served on FY18 only 14,455 reported their Language (73%).
81% of NVFS clients whose primary language is not English.

5. Barriers to Engagement
Cultural Beliefs and Values
Trust
Necessity

6. Barriers to Engagement: Trauma & Immigration
The potential for Extensive Unmet Mental Health needs
Pre-journey exposures / trauma histories common:
Domestic Violence
Victims of Physical, Sexual, and Emotional Child Abuse
Experience of systemic/epidemic violence: war, on-going community violence, sanctioned political violence, oppression, and/or corruption
Exposure to Violence, Fear, and Helplessness on the Journey
Traumatic Experiences Resulting from Gang Involvement
Triple Trauma Paradigm
Traumatic experiences are often compounded by multiple losses

7. Barriers to Engagement
Competing priorities
Limited education and cultural navigation
Communication
Power dynamics

8. Current Environment Immigration Legal Considerations
Need for role definition and education
Misinformation, Speculation, Exploitation, and Fear

9. Program Practices: Service Model
Accessibility
Cultural practice recognition

10. Program Practices: Staffing
Language
Cultural understanding & Staff representation
Professional development

11. Program Practices Collaborate with existing community supports
Systems Education & Advocacy

12. Individual Practices The value of flexibility Consider word choice
Self Awareness

13. Individual Practices: Trauma Informed
Trauma-informed strategies benefit all clients, though they are especially necessary to support clients who have experienced trauma.
Know your role
A Sense of Safety
Information
Hope and Optimism
A Sense of Connection / Supportive Relationships

14. Individual Practices Explore resistance The value of time
Psychoeducation
US Norms – systems, laws, cultural expectations
Know Your Rights
Individualized self-sufficiency

15. Puzzle Piece

16. Closing Thoughts What practices can you apply immediately?
What do you have more questions about?
Other comments or questions?