Our Projects

MIMCO Scope of Services

Total Number to be outreached: 150
Total Number To Be Served: 50

Core Components
Objectives
The organizations that comprise the MAA propose to accomplish the first three Core Components of the project through a combination of individual and group activities. The objectives of the MIMCO project are:
- To utilize the unique knowledge, skills and experience of each partner to reach the identified population
- To identify and document stresses and coping mechanisms that are specific to certain immigrant and refugee populations, or common to several, regardless of ethnic origin
- To share knowledge and information among partners in order to maximize effectiveness, avoid duplication and learn from each other's experience
- To develop a targeted outreach campaign for each identified community to inform and educate individuals about mental health
- To create awareness of the availability of and means of access to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services

Activities
The objectives described above will be realized through the implementation of a number of activities. These include:
1. Introductory Forums
2. Needs Assessment
3. Summary Forums
4. Outreach Activities
5. Media Outreach

Introductory Forums
At the outset of the project, the MAA partners will organize and present an introductory community forum that will be conducted in the language of the specific community. There will be a total of six focus groups - one for each ethnic community (5) and one for elders. UHRI will participate in all six forums to inform the discussion in terms of the refugee experience. Each forum will be targeted to the population served by the sponsoring agency but the general format, the information to be shared and any information to be gathered or other products will be mutually identified and agreed upon by all partners. The purpose of the introductory forum will be to acquaint each community with the project and its purpose and to generate discussion about the most effective means to reach vulnerable members of the community.
The target audience for the introductory forums includes individuals and families as well as representatives from the community organizations and agencies that form the social support network for the specific immigrant group and mainstream organizations, such as hospitals, government agencies and others that provide services to these populations. Each introductory forum will be publicized through local churches, ethnic radio and television, social service providers, public housing agencies and other appropriate means. Because lack of access is at the very heart of the problem, it is expected that the existing community network will provide the best avenue to begin an outreach effort within each ethnic community. Participants in the introductory forum will form the nucleus for the next step in the process, which will be a needs assessment.

Needs Assessment
Much is known about the general impact of disasters on those who have experienced traumatic events in the past. However, little has been done systematically to mitigate those effects on vulnerable populations or to develop a preventative "safety net" to help vulnerable individuals develop resilient coping strategies before a disaster strikes. Prior to the events of September 11th, resettlement in the United States was often perceived as an assurance of safety. Sadly, this can no longer be assumed to be the case.
The needs assessment will focus on establishing a base of information about the psychological, emotional and behavioral reactions of each population to the events of September 11th, and the relationship of these factors to earlier traumatic experience. The needs assessment will form the basis for targeted individual and community intervention to improve mental health, as well as a strategy for a vigorous community outreach. While the precise definition of the elements of the needs assessment is part of the substance of this project, some of the issues to be examined include increased feelings of fear, anger, rage, frustration, helplessness and/or panic; physical symptoms such as insomnia, change in appetite, headache, stomachache, and/or chronic fatigue; and behavioral issues such as marital strife, domestic violence, job difficulties, and increased alcohol or drug use. In addition to traditional mental health markers, the needs assessment will examine whether there has been an increase in real and perceived incidents of discrimination following September 11th, and the reactions of Muslim respondents to the subsequent associations made between terrorism and Islam.
The needs assessment will also focus on identifying the coping mechanisms that individuals in each population employ to reduce the stresses engendered by the events of September 11th, as well as the coping mechanisms and support systems that are culturally defined within each community.
The needs assessment will be comprised of three components:
- Community Survey
- Focus Groups
- Key Informant Interviews
Surveys will not contain respondent identifiers and participant confidentiality will be maintained in this and all other components of the needs assessment.

Community Survey - the MAA partners will work together to develop a survey instrument that will be consistent across populations while allowing the flexibility of ethnic differences. A consultant will be hired to assist the partners with the development of the survey, the determination of the number of respondents needed to obtain a valid result, the tabulation of the results and the interpretation of the statistical significance of the data. Each partner, utilizing staff that reflects the culture and language of the population surveyed, will administer the survey. The survey may be self-administered when appropriate (i.e. the respondent has the needed literacy skills and prefers to answer individually), it may be administered by telephone or it may be administered in a face-to-face encounter with an individual. An attempt will be made to include a representative cross section of individuals in terms of age, gender, and other demographic factors that may influence outcome.

Focus Groups - there will be a total of 6 focus groups - one for each ethnic group and one for elders. It is anticipated that the focus groups will be comprised of between 8 and 12 participants. A leader who identifies culturally and linguistically with the participants will facilitate each focus group. Although the facilitator will introduce topics of discussion through pre-determined questions, focus groups will offer an opportunity for participants to provide a fuller and less structured response in a conversational format. Focus groups will be uniquely structured for each community and organized with attention to cultural context. While the community survey provides a broad picture, the focus groups are meant to provide a more incisive view within a limited scope. Focus groups will be casual and light refreshments will be provided. The consultant will work with the partners to summarize the results of each focus group and to analyze the data.

Key Informant Interviews - the MAA partners will work with the consultant to identify key informants for each ethnic group. These may be church leaders, service providers or others who knowledge and insight regarding mental health issues and reactions to disaster. The consultant will assist the partners in developing an interview instrument and will summarize the results of the interviews. Key informant interviews will also be used to identify the gaps in knowledge and frustrations that providers face in their efforts to provide service to immigrants and refugees.

Summary Forums
Once the needs assessment is concluded and the data is summarized, a forum will be held in each community to share the results with participants, community members, and other interested stakeholders. The results will be presented in language that is free from jargon and easy to understand. There will be an opportunity at each forum for questions and comments and these will be added to the body of knowledge. All of this will then be used to shape the organizational response.

Outreach Activities
The results of the needs assessment will be used to determine the most effective means of reaching each community. Based on the needs assessment, outreach and education efforts will build on the existing support systems in each community, encourage the development and enhancement of community support networks, and address the specific barriers to engagement in mental health services. While a precise description of outreach activities is premature, it is anticipated that they will occur within the context of the existing social network. For example, education might take place within an existing adult education or ESL program. The social support network might be strengthened through the creation of a church related activity. In a culture where the accepted practice is to seek support from elders, it might be useful to educate elders about common stress reactions.

Media
As part of its outreach efforts, the MAA Coalition will use local ethnic print media, radio, and television to inform and to educate. The structures to implement a media campaign are already in place for some of the MAA Coalition partners. This existing base of knowledge and experience will be expanded to other partners and a unified media outreach campaign will be developed to reach all targeted communities. Use of media may include:
- Public service announcements about forums
- Guest speakers on regularly scheduled programs
- Coverage in ethnic community newspapers of project events
- Talk shows on radio or television

Through its Media Outreach program, HAPHI disseminates information about health issues to the Haitian community at large. Public health news and announcements are incorporated into popular weekly Haitian radio and TV programs. Media Outreach activities also include production and distribution of educational public service announcements (PSA) for print and electronic media; and sponsorship of health education retreats for church and community leaders and Haitian journalists.
ECMAA has established an Ethiopian community radio program that airs on Sundays on WRCA 1330 AM, in the Amharic language. This program features community, local and national news, current news about Ethiopia, question and answer sessions, and guest speakers who address specific problems faced by the community. The radio station is estimated to have more than 8,000 listeners.

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