Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
June 17, 2005, Vol. 05-92

Notice of a New SAMHSA Published Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Toolkit

The purpose of this message is to bring to your attention the recent publication of a Refugee Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Toolkit specifically developed for use by ethnic-based Mutual Assistance Associations (MAA) and other faith-based and community organizations who are concerned with the health and well-being of refugees. The toolkit provides guidelines for developing and implementing community health/mental health programs. We thought it may be of interest to you since, while targeted to refugee communities, much of the material has general applicability. Also, you may find the toolkit an interesting instrument for helping with mental health care transformation at the local level - especially in regards to developing or expanding community partnerships for health promotion and disease prevention. The toolkit was developed as an instrument of a new national refugee health & well-being initiative described in the Background section below.

The toolkit includes a three part manual, a training guide & PowerPoint slides, an article on health promotion and disease prevention, an introductory video, and a compact disk which contains an electronic version of the entire manual. It is now available online at: www.refugeewellbeing.samhsa.gov. Hardcopies are also available, but limited in number. Funding for the toolkit was provided by the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) through their longstanding Intra-agency Agreement (IAG) with CMHS. SAMHSA/CMHS Refugee Mental Health Program (RMHP) managed the development and publication of the toolkit.

Background: A refugee health promotion and disease prevention initiative entitled "Points of Wellness: Partnering for Refugee Health & Well-Being"" has been launched to help develop and implement health/mental health promotion and disease prevention activities and programs within refugee communities. Under the leadership of Dr. Nguyen Van Hanh, ORR Director, the initiative is a collaborative effort of three HHS partners -- ORR, SAMHSA/CMHS/RMHP, and the HHS Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA).

This initiative does not include a new discretionary grant program, nor will it redirect funds from existing grants programs. It is an approach to health and mental health that aims to increase awareness and interest in health promotion and disease prevention programs targeting refugees, and provide information and tools to assist organizations in related activities and services. Overall, Points of Wellness aims to:

· Transform the manner in which we conceptualize, prioritize and address
the health and well-being of refugees resettled in the U.S.

· Promote a holistic approach to refugee health & well-being.

· Provide more information about the strength and resilience of refugees,
then honor these factors and promote them as protective factors in
preventive and treatment programs.

· Increase the health and well-being of high risk refugee populations in the
United States.

Points of Wellness Objectives are being met by:

· Providing technical assistance on how to develop, fund, manage and
implement health promotion and disease prevention programs.

· Encouraging the development and implementation of community mental
health- public health modalities of improving or maintaining good physical
and mental health thru primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
interventions.

· Supporting systems of care that promote good physical and mental health
in an integrated seamless way.

· Contributing to an overall reduction of unmanaged chronic health
conditions.

For further information or if you would like a copy of the wellness toolkit, please contact:

Captain John Tuskan, Refugee Mental Health Program 240-276-1845, Room 6-1099, john.tuskan@samhsa.hhs.gov

or

Dr. Louise Peloquin, Refugee Mental Health Program 240-276-18674, Room 6-1130. louise.peloquin@samhsa.hhs.gov
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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.