Refugee Health & Wellness Program Officer bei U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) support people who have lost or left their homes. For over 100 years, the unwavering commitment of our leadership, team, network of service providers, and advocates has helped redirect the destiny of countless vulnerable lives. In neighborhoods, in Washington, and around the world, we break down barriers and demand justice for refugees and immigrants as they successfully integrate into new communities. We provide essential social and legal services to rebuild productive lives, turning tragedy into prosperity. We are a purpose driven organization with a mission to protect the rights and address the needs of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide and supporting their transition to a dignified life. To learn more about our work, please visit our website at www.refugees.org

OVERVIEW

The Missouri Refugee Health & Wellness Program Officer position is a part of the Missouri Refugee Health Services Office initiative to build mental/behavioral health capacity in the state of Missouri. This position will work closely with the State Refugee Health Coordinator and the Refugee Health Promotion Program Officer to build mental health capacity within mainstream mental health organizations and collect/develop health resources for service providers to address service delivery gaps in the state of Missouri. This position will also aid existing team members by enhancing efforts to expand access to client-centered, culturally affirming, trauma-informed, and evidence-based refugee physical and mental health services within current mainstream and refugee-serving infrastructures in Missouri. A big focus of this position will be to engage mainstream mental health, domestic violence, and other healthcare organizations to build capacity in the field of refugee health—striving to build partnerships and connections among community partners at state and local levels to bridge gaps, creating seamless pathways for refugee physical and mental health services. 

The Refugee Health & Wellness Program Officer will design, implement, facilitate, and evaluate statewide capacity building initiatives for refugee health and 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 health and mental health coalitions so that they can more easily identify health and/or mental health service enhancement opportunities and service gaps. Using data from community maps, the program officer will work with each coalition to creatively guide the development of enhanced refugee health and/or mental health service provision. 

This is a remote-based position in Saint Louis, MO, and will report to the State Refugee Health Coordinator (SRHC).  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaboratively conduct physical and mental health needs assessment and create physical and mental/behavioral health service maps with community partners, including local resettlement agencies, community healthcare organizations, community-based organizations, and other partners identified in the service mapping process in each of the five resettlement sites: Saint Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Joplin, and Columbia.
• Investigate, identify and compile local physical and mental health resources and services to assist with the long-term effects of physical mental health on refugee clients. This includes addressing gaps in services, information, and capacity to service refugee clients in mental/behavioral health settings.
• Develop and administer survey tools which capture qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate refugee mental health capacity building initiative impact in each of the five resettlement sites and establish baseline data, track initiative management data, and evaluate outcomes data, aggregating data for statewide analysis.
• Create, plan and facilitate training plans and curriculum for health and mental health-based service provider education.
• Research Medicaid policies and procedures in Missouri regarding physical and mental health services, client rights, and make information widely available to service providers and clients. In addition, guide all initiatives based on current Medicaid policy climate and impact on refugees’ access to mainstream health and mental health services. 
• Provide subject matter expertise in mental health, mental health crises and intervention with refugee populations, and serve as a designated point of contact for local resettlement agencies, clinical providers, and mainstream mental health providers regarding mental health cases; to provide guidance and support in addressing refugee mental health issues on a case-by-case basis, as needed.
• Develop and sustain relationships with a variety of collaborative and invested community partners including Replacement Designee, local resettlement agencies, community healthcare organizations, community-based organizations, domestic violence organizations and others to build a coalition of providers for refugees in the state of Missouri. 
• Collaboratively work with the Refugee Health Promotion Program Officer, Refugee Health Program Officer, and State Refugee Health Coordinator (SRHC), and collaborate with staff in the RD office – Missouri Office of Refugee Administration (MO-ORA), as needed, to ensure all duplication of efforts are flagged with State Refugee Coordinator (SRC).
• Provide support as needed to Refugee Health Promotion and Refugee Health Program Officers with in-person monitoring, desk audits, refugee health material preparation, online resource maintenance, invoicing, internal and federal reporting, and communications with subgrantees.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned, and as needed by the supervisor.

All the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job duties indicated are not to be an exhaustive statement, and other job-related duties may be assigned as required by the supervisor(s).

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in social work (LCSW preferred), psychology (LPC preferred), Public Health or another relevant field is required.
• A minimum of two years of experience in refugee services, mental health, care coordination, health education and/or community-oriented social service settings is required.
• A minimum of two years of experience in interagency capacity building with refugee services, mental/behavioral health, and/or community-orientated social services is strongly preferred.
• Experience in community needs assessment and community mapping, including data collection and analysis, is preferred.
• Experience in curriculum and training development is required; knowledge of health literacy and/or mental health programs 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, and interagency meeting facilitation is needed.
• Demonstrated track record of cultural humility and experience working with international populations.
• Self-starter with the ability to work well in a cross-cultural team, juggle multiple priorities, and meet regular deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail; must be highly flexible, and able to keep multiple assignments moving forward with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated support of USCRI’s values by exhibiting respect for others, maintenance of confidential information, and an appreciation of a multicultural workplace. 
• Proficient in the use of MS Suite applications.
• Able to work in a remote and quiet environment 8 hours a day/5 days a week; and
• Must be flexible and willing to travel at least once a month to host trainings and meet partners around the state of Missouri. 

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.
• Occasional lifting (up to 25 pounds), bending, pulling, and carrying.
• Quantitative/mathematical ability (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, standard measurements); and  
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

ADDITIONAL NOTES  

• Please submit a resume with cover letter describing your interest and qualifications with your application.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required.
• Travel within the State of Missouri required. 
• Position requires approximately 40% travel. 
• References will be required at time of final review; and  
• No telephone calls, please. Position will remain open until it is filled.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants is an equal opportunity employer. We maintain a policy of equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, domestic partnership status, marital status, physical or mental disability, AIDS/HIV status, age, political affiliation, genetic information, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.