LOCATION: Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.

ORGANIZATION TYPE: Education

FOCUS AREA: Children / Families, Education, Health Care Delivery, Immigration, Income & Wealth, International, Jobs & Work, Law, Mental health / Psychology, Public Health, Public Policy, Race / Ethnicity

HEALTH EQUITY INITIATIVES: The University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center seeks to improve health status and access to health care among culturally and linguistically diverse populations in New Mexico. The specific goal of the Refugee Well-being Project (RWP) is to reduce health disparities experienced by African refugee children and their families in New Mexico through an innovative program that emphasizes mutual learning and the mobilization of community resources. Research has demonstrated that the health and well-being of refugees is affected not only by past conditions (e.g., violence, trauma), but also by social factors related to resettlement, such as lack of meaningful social roles, poverty, discrimination, and language and cultural differences. To address these issues, RWP objectives are to: 1) increase English proficiency and literacy; 2) improve access to community resources; 3) promote and preserve refugees’ cultures and valued social roles; 4) improve intergenerational respect and communication; and 5) enhance refugees’ empowerment and integration in their communities.