Refugee Mental Health Program Officer

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization with a mission to protect the rights and address the needs of persons in migration by advancing fair and humane public policy, facilitating and providing direct professional services, and promoting the full participation of migrants in community life. For over 100 years, we have shaped history with the belief that immigrants strengthen our communities, economy and social fabric through freedom, hard work, and family unity. To learn more about our work, please go to our official website at www.refugees.org.

OVERVIEW

The Texas Refugee Mental Health and Wellness Team (TRMHWT) at USCRI builds mental health capacity and provides mental health and wellness awareness trainings across Texas, empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to feel confident supporting refugees’ mental health and wellbeing. The TRMHWT administers two distinct programs: The Refugee Wellness Program (RWP), which delivers statewide mental health and wellness trainings, and the Refugee Mental Health Capacity Building Initiative (MHCBI) which is committed to expanding and enhancing access to client-centered, culturally-affirming, trauma-informed, and evidence-based refugee mental health services within current infrastructures in Texas. The MHCBI strives to build robust partnerships with and among community partners at the state and local levels with a vision that they can optimize refugee mental health services and create seamless refugee mental health services pathways. By developing foundational refugee mental health communities of care, the initiative envisions long-term collaborative program sustainability for refugee mental health across the state.

As a team member in the MHCBI, the Texas Refugee Mental Health Program Officer will design, implement, facilitate, and evaluate statewide capacity building initiatives for refugee mental health through collaborative partnerships with local communities. Working closely with community partners, the program officer will use community mapping to assist in establishing and/or enhancing local refugee mental health coalitions so that they can more easily identify mental health service enhancement opportunities and service gaps. Using data from the community maps, the program officer will work with each coalition to creatively guide development of enhanced refugee mental health service provision.

The position is office-based in Austin, Texas, and will report to the Refugee Mental Health and Wellness Program Coordinator.

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants / refugees.org

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaboratively conduct needs assessments and create community maps with community partners, including local resettlement agencies, community healthcare organizations, community-based organizations, and other partners identified in the community mapping process in each of the seven resettlement sites: Abilene, Austin, Amarillo, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio;
• Develop and administer survey tools which capture quantitative and qualitative data to demonstrate refugee mental health capacity building initiative impact in each of the seven resettlement sites;
• Establish baseline data, track initiative management data, and evaluate outcomes data across seven resettlement sites, aggregating data for statewide analysis;
• Develop and sustain relationships with a variety of community partners, including local resettlement agencies, community healthcare organizations, community-based organizations, and other partners identified in the community mapping process in the seven resettlement sites;
• Assist community partners in identifying mental health service enhancement opportunities and service gaps, and creatively guide development of enhanced refugee mental health service provision in each of the seven resettlement sites;
• Engage in mental health network-building and resource sharing across a variety of community partners in each of the seven resettlement sites and statewide; and
• Establish intentional connections among community partners to establish refugee mental health communities of practice to optimize mental health service provision, including seamless mental health pathways.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, psychology, or another relevant field is required;
• Master's degree in relevant field is preferred;
• Minimum two years of experience in refugee services, mental health, care coordination, health education, and/or community-oriented social service settings is required;
• Minimum two years of experience in interagency capacity building with refugee services, mental health, and/or community-oriented social services is strongly preferred;
• Lived experience with forced migration is strongly preferred;
• Experience in community needs assessment and community mapping, including data collection and analysis is preferred;
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and sustain meaningful relationships with community partners, write materials for different audiences, draft reports, public speaking, interagency meeting facilitation;
• Working knowledge of the refugee resettlement process;
• Demonstrated track record of cultural humility and experience working with international populations;
• Proven ability to work as a team member in a cross-cultural environment;
• Proficient in the use of MS Suite applications; and
• Reliable transportation, valid U.S. driver’s license, and active insurance policy.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

• Satisfactory completion of USCRI’s Orientation and Training; and
• Complete additional training as identified by supervisor or Human Resources.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Use of manual dexterity, tactile, visual, and audio acuity;
• Use of repetitive motion, prolonged periods of sitting and standing, and sustained visual and mental applications and demands; and
• Occasional lifting (up to 25 pounds), bending, pulling, and carrying.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• This position is in-person and office-based in Austin, TX.
• Both a resume and a cover letter are required with your application, describing your interest and qualifications for the position;
• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by date of hire;
• All offers of employment are contingent on the candidate showing proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19;
• Travel within the State of Texas required;
• Position requires approximately 25% travel;