Phila.gov
Immigrant Refugee Affairs and Language Access Services
Immigrant Refugee Affairs and Language Access Services works to ensure that Philadelphia’s diverse immigrant and refugee communities have access to DBHIDS services and resources that are culturally and linguistically responsive.
As a certified welcoming city, Philadelphia welcomes refugees and immigrants from across the globe. The City of Philadelphia has an obligation to ensure that individuals with Limited English Proficiency can meaningfully access all City services, programs, and activities, including services provided by contractors and grantees on behalf of the City of Philadelphia.
DBHIDS is committed to providing access to services for all Philadelphians regardless of their ability to speak, understand, read, or write English. No person shall be denied services based on their primary language and all attempts will be made to connect a person with limited English proficiency or a person who is deaf or hard of hearing to appropriate services.
In 2016, under the administration of Mayor Jim Kenny, the Department established a full-time position to lead the Immigrant/Refugee Affairs and Language Access Services to enhances DBHIDS’ ability to provide services to Philadelphia’s diverse communities.
Guided by Department’s mission, vision, and strategic framework, the Immigrant/Refugee Affairs and Language Access Services unit focuses on the behavioral health and intellectual disability needs of Philadelphia’s growing diverse immigrant/refugee communities.
Since 2000, the population has significantly contributed to the city’s overall growth and economy, now accounting for nearly 16 percent or about 251,000 of the city’s population of 1.57 million.
Through our strategic collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, we have developed and implemented numerous programs, procedures, and initiatives to expand access to behavioral health and intellectual disability resources and services for Philadelphia’s diverse communities. Key programs and initiatives include:
Language Access Service Plan
Language Access Steering Committee
To ensure the Language Access Service Plan is carried out and implemented effectively, we have developed the DBHIDS Language Access Steering Committee.
The committee is comprised of DBHIDS staff of various divisions, representative of the City’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and other agencies and organizations. LASC works to build strategic partnership, innovative approaches and solutions that increase access to care for the diverse communities, especially individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH).
Migration in the 21 Century Series
Through collaboration with various stakeholders, LASC develops and implements a series on migrations in the 21st Century on an annual basis. This initiative is designed to raise awareness and examine the causes and types of migration, the trauma, and the experiences that come with it. In addition, this educational series helps us to explore the strengths-based approaches that help rebuild the lives of diverse communities in the new land.
Targeted Outreach and Engagement
DBHIDS is committed to explore and develop innovative outreach and engagement strategies to ensure Philadelphia’s diverse communities are aware of and know how to access behavioral health and intellectual disability services and information. Through community listening sessions and assessment of needs, the Department understands the unique perspectives, cultural and languages differences, and the behavioral challenges faced by diverse communities. DBHIDS works to build relationships with stakeholders and communities is essential to advance the reach and enhance awareness of the vast array of resources, services, and treatment modalities offered and how to access them.
Immigrant and Refugee Wellness Academy
Launched in 2022, the no-cost, 10-week training program is designed to empower and prepare Philadelphia’s multilingual/multicultural immigrants and refugees with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to engage in activities that address trauma and behavioral health and intellectual disability challenges and create a pipeline to a diverse workforce.
Multilingual/Multicultural Community Opioid Overdose Prevention Education
Partially funded by the City of Philadelphia Office of Chief Administrative Officer and in collaboration with the DBHIDS Education and Training team, this initiative addresses the high rate of overdose death among racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities through training of trainers and community education with the goals to:
- Reduce stigma and barriers to prevention and overdose reversal training.
- Increase awareness and understanding of negative effects of opioids and other substances among racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority communities.
- Develop and empower racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority community leaders to become trainers and advocates in their communities.
- Increase awareness of behavioral health and wellness treatment and resources in racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority communities.
- Reduce overdose fatalities in racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority communities.
Contact Us
To learn more about DBHIDS Immigrant Refugee Affairs and Language Access Services, please email Sarorng Sorn at Sarorng.sorn@phila.gov.