Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Behavioral Health Care for East African Immigrant and Refugee Families

Grantee: Voices of Tomorrow
Timeframe: July 2025 – June 2026 | Amount: $200,000

Voices of Tomorrow aims to reduce behavioral health disparities among East African immigrant and refugee families, particularly those with children aged birth to five, by improving access to culturally responsive mental health care.

Many families experience trauma from war, forced migration, and post-migration stressors like poverty and discrimination, leading to high rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These conditions affect parenting, child development, and school readiness, with 40 percent of children showing social-emotional delays and behavioral concerns, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to care is limited due to cultural stigma and a lack of linguistically attuned providers. Studies show East African families distrust healthcare because of racism and dismissive treatment, making traditional mental health services inaccessible. Existing supports, such as the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ (DCYF) Early Childhood Intervention and Prevention Services (ECLIPSE) program, provide wraparound care but lack direct behavioral health services.

With this project, Voices of Tomorrow (VOT) will launch licensed behavioral health services for East African immigrant and refugee families with children aged birth to five and establish long-term program viability by securing contracts with Washington’s Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to bill Medicaid/Apple Health for eligible services.

PHPDA Major Grant funding will support two licensed behavioral health providers fluent in families’ languages and reflective of their cultures. These providers will offer direct services for children and extended family members through a trauma-informed and culturally responsive framework that integrates modern therapeutic techniques with traditional healing practices.

Behavioral health services will be provided at VOT locations and in-home settings, ensuring language accessibility and high-quality interpretation as needed. Services will support children, adolescents, and adults, addressing family-wide healing needs. Clients will move through four phases:

• Recruitment and Outreach: Engagement through community-led education, awareness events, partnerships with local organizations, and in-house referrals.
• Intake and Assessment: Completion of biopsychosocial assessments and screenings to create individualized treatment plans.
• Therapeutic Services: A minimum of nine therapy sessions per client, including:
  • Individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescents and adults
  • Group therapy incorporating oral storytelling traditions
  • Family therapy tailored to East African extended family structures
  • Social-emotional play therapy for children
• Post-Assessment: Evaluation of progress using validated tools and qualitative self-reports to determine additional service needs.

ABOUT OUR GRANTEE

Voices of Tomorrow

“Voices of Tomorrow is a non-profit organization that provides social services to immigrants and refugees from East African communities, the most vulnerable in Washington State.”