peace of mind Mental
peace of mind Mental health grant aids refugees By Vanessa Denha-Garmo It has been taboo in the Chaldean community but some members are in great need mental health counseling. It should come as no surprise that people who have lived through war, experienced torture and suffered religious persecution that caused them to flee their native Iraq to seek refuge are in need of professional help. Knowing the importance of getting Iraqi refugees that assistance, the Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) — the charitable subsidiary of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce — applied for a mental health grant and last October was awarded a 0,000 grant for one year from the Michigan Department of Community Health. “The grant targets recent Iraqi refugees, most of which are victims of ethnic intimidation, torture and witnessing of brutality because of their religious beliefs,” said Martin Manna, the foundation’s executive director. The foundation has subcontracted other organizations to execute the funding including St. John Eastwood Clinics and the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity (CALC). Although many are fearful of other community members knowing they need mental health treatment, the clients seeking treatment are guaranteed complete confidentiality. In January the CCF hired Janice Kizy, LMSW, a Chaldean- and Arabic-speaking licensed social worker, to work in conjunction with St. John Eastwood as an interpreter between clients and therapists. She has since been working with CALC and Eastwood to identify, inform and provide mental health services to the refugee community. The CCF opened an outreach office at 32620 Concord Drive in Madison Heights, in front of the Lexington apartment complex where several refugee families live, on June 1. “This office is being used to provide a safe, non-threatening environment for Najat Hamama, Rita Jonna and Janice Kizy go over paperwork at the Chaldean Community Foundation’s office in Madison Heights. refugees to ask questions and obtain resources and information. Informational events, groups and therapy sessions can be held in this office as well,” said Kizy. CCF has also hired Rita Jonna as a community outreach coordinator to work with churches, agencies and refugees to provide outreach services and events to inform refugees and the overall Chaldean community on the importance of mental health services. Najat Hamama is also on board as the office administrator at the Madison Heights office. To date, more than 1,200 people have been touched. CALC assists with outreach, coordination, charitable assistance and mental health referrals. The organization has three people working on the grant: Gloria Mansour Yousif, MA LLP, as the Refugee Outreach Orientation Team Services (ROOTS) case manager; Karen Konja as a case worker; and Clair Konja as an outreach coordinator. Those working on the grant organize counseling sessions at various schools around metro Detroit during school hours. “The school administrators, counselors and teachers have been very supportive of our sessions,” said Clair Konja. The stories are heartbreaking and without the grant, these children would not get the mental health support and treatment they need, Konja added. “These children are dealing with more trauma, depression, peer pressure and social isolations than what we could have ever imagined,” said Konja. “We think they are just kids and they don’t know what is really going on but that is not true. They understand everything and they feel the pressure their parents are under because they don’t have jobs and have trouble paying the bills. They ask us all the time to help their parents.” Through this grant refugees have been assisted in: • free mental health therapy and psychiatric services • free psychiatric medication for those without insurance • acculturation to the American life The community has also learned about the importance of obtaining mental health services, and assistance with communication between refugee and resettlement/employment agencies has been offered. To learn more about mental health counseling, call Janice Kizy at (248) 288-9655 or Eastwood’s Jihan Daman at (248) 288-9333. 24 CHALDEAN NEWS AUGUST 2009
AUGUST 2009 CHALDEAN NEWS 25
