CIRH Academy: Bridging Gaps and Increasing Knowledge to Support Immigrants and Refugees
CIRH Academy is an educational initiative of PHI’s Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health (CIRH), designed to provide culturally tailored trainings on immigrant and refugee topics to enhance the health and wellness outcomes for immigrant and refugee communities.
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Focus Areas
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Programs
Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health
Explore resources from PHI’s Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health (CIRH), designed to provide culturally tailored trainings on immigrant and refugee topics to enhance the health and wellness outcomes for immigrant and refugee communities.
This page includes the following resources
- Parents as Role Models for Their Children
- Know Your Rights: Train the Trainer
- Faith & Healing: An Interfaith Dialogue on Supporting Refugees
- Find a New Identity and Support Systems During Emigration
- Supporting Refugee and Immigrant Students with Special Needs in the Educational Setting
- The Importance of Education and Personal Growth for Afghan Women after Resettlement
- Early Dental Care for Young Children with Dr. Yousra Wasil Ahmadi
- Stress in Uncertain Times
- 2025 World Refugee Day Webinar: Understanding the Refugee Experience & Advocating for Resettlement
- Sleep: A Foundation for Mental Well being in Ukrainian Newcomers
- Community Resiliency Model — Cultivating Skills for Well-Being of Ukrainian Newcomers
- Discussion on Women’s Health with Dr. Sondos Al Sad ندوة عن صحة المرأة
- Very High Levels of Violent Discipline Among Children in Afghanistan with Dr. Saeedzai
- Strengthening Refugee Women’s Health Through Reproductive Health Literacy Training
- Discussion on Autism Spectrum Disorder with Dr. Sharifi
- Identifying and Overcoming Challenges Faced by Refugee Families with Dr. Rafiullah Sadiq, MD, MICHA
- Discussion on Afghan Refugee Legal Issues with Attorney Spojmie Nasiri
CIRH Academy helps address the significant challenges that many immigrants and refugees encounter during their resettlement journey, including trauma; overcoming language barriers; accessing culturally or linguistically appropriate care; navigating unfamiliar healthcare and health insurance systems; managing financial constraints; lack of knowledge about available services and rights; fear of discrimination or stigma; and more.
CIRH Academy bridges these gaps by offering:
- Information about the latest research and data on immigrant and refugee issues/topics
- Health education for communities, including community-focused workshops and resources help immigrants and refugees understand preventive care, access available services, and know their rights within the healthcare system.
- Cultural competency training for providers, such as comprehensive training programs equip service providers with understanding and respect for cultural differences to produce compassionate, effective care.
Browse CIRH Academy’s in-person workshops, webinars, and multilingual digital materials, CIRH Academy resources inclusive, impactful tools for use by immigrants and refugees, service providers and academic partners to improve services for these constituents.
Explore CIRH Academy’s offerings:
Parents as Role Models for Their Children
Children learn more from what parents do than what they say. This presentation discusses how parents’ daily actions shape their children’s understanding of the world. Presenter Hasina Bahram is a dedicated program coordinator and former health navigator with a background in economics, public health, and refugee advocacy. Originally from Afghanistan, she now designs youth and women's programs in the U.S. that foster resilience and leadership. Her powerful voice and lived experience offer a meaningful perspective on the transformative power of education in Afghan communities.
This video is in Dari and includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session. The auto-generated translation is available by clicking the Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Know Your Rights: Train the Trainer
In collaboration with Project ANAR, this training equips community members, service providers, advocates, and allies with the tools to effectively lead Know Your Rights workshops.
Speakers, Laila Ayub, co-founder Sara Kohgadai of Project ANAR, and Sara Kohgadai, co-director of Project ANAR, share with participants practical strategies for facilitating workshops and strengthening advocacy within their own communities.
Faith & Healing: An Interfaith Dialogue on Supporting Refugees
As global displacement reaches historic levels, refugees and asylum seekers face deep trauma, loss, and uncertainty. In these moments of profound hardship, faith communities have a vital role to play in offering healing, sanctuary, and hope.
In this webinar, Dr. Omar Reda, Reverend Canon Eric Metoyer, and Rabbi Julie Bressler highlight how Islam, Christianity, and Judaism address trauma, foster a sense of belonging, and promote resilience. Viewers explore practical ways communities of faith can stand with refugees and asylum seekers through compassion and collaboration.
Find a New Identity and Support Systems During Emigration
Dr. Ruslana Bielousova and Iryna Osadcha, CIRH's Health Educator, discuss the personal crisis experienced by Ukrainian immigrants displaced by the war and how to this dislocation can serve as an opportunity for growth. Issues of identity and the journey to rebuilding a sense of self in a new environment are thus probed in this intimate conversation. Dr. Bielousova highlights how post-traumatic growth and self-compassion aid individuals navigating tremendous cultural and emotional change.
Dr. Ruslana Bielousova is a practicing psychologist, life coach, and ESDM therapist based in Los Angeles, California. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a member of the American Psychological Association.
This video is in Ukrainian and includes a presentation followed by Q&As. The auto-generated translation is available by clicking the Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Supporting Refugee and Immigrant Students with Special Needs in the Educational Setting
Refugee and immigrant students with special needs face unique barriers in education, from navigating new languages and school systems to accessing supportive services.
In this session, Dr. Soraya Fallah and Jasmin Kouhkan, MSW, CIRH’s Refugee Student Wellness Advisor, explore educational strategies, case studies, and policy recommendations for supporting students and their families. The presentation offers practical tools and insights to help educators, schools, and communities foster inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive.
This video includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
The Importance of Education and Personal Growth for Afghan Women after Resettlement
Community advocate Hasina Bahram explores the importance of learning for Afghan women through the lens of personal empowerment, mental and emotional well-being, and the impact of education on family life. Drawing from her own experiences and work in refugee support, Hasina highlights how education can build strong support systems for children and help create healthy, successful families.
This video is in Dari and includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session. The auto-generated translation is available by clicking the Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Early Dental Care for Young Children with Dr. Yousra Wasil Ahmadi
Dr. Yousra Wasil Ahmadi covers essential tips on dental care for families with young children in this how-to presentation on infant gum care, proper brushing and flossing techniques, and the importance of building preventative care routines early in life.
Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, Dr. Yousra is a trained dentist and has supported Afghan refugees through community initiatives and hands-on experience as a dental assistant. Her passion lies in improving community health through dentistry.
This video series is in Dari with an auto-generated translation available by clicking the “Subtitles/Closed Captions” option.
Stress in Uncertain Times
United Kingdom-based mental health specialist Inna Gordyienko discusses in this CIRH Academy presentation how stress in its types and stages impacts reasoning and emotions and includes practical coping strategies for Ukrainians stressed by the displacement of war. Gordyienko holds three master’s degrees in social management and psychology and has published on topics of practical psychology, psychotherapy, and the Gestalt method. Her work has supported the global, trauma-informed efforts of The International Rescue Committee UK and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Gordyienko’s discussion in Ukrainian has a video auto-translation available by clicking “Subtitles/Closed Captions.”
2025 World Refugee Day Webinar: Understanding the Refugee Experience & Advocating for Resettlement - June 25, 2025
Refugees arriving in the U.S. are often displaced by war, persecution, and political instability. But their journey doesn’t end at resettlement—instead, it continues as they navigate legal uncertainties, evolving immigration policies, and gaps in support systems.
This World Refugee Day webinar highlighted the lived experiences of Afghan and Ukrainian refugees and examined the impact of recent immigration policies on their resettlement. Speakers discussed how community-based advocacy can drive more effective and compassionate policy change. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) also presented services and resources available to support both service providers and refugee communities.
Sleep: A Foundation for Mental Well being in Ukrainian Newcomers - June 24, 2025
Nika Bielska—geneticist, sleep consultant, and co-author of When Will I Finally Get Enough Sleep?/Коли я нарешті висплюся?—joins CIRH Health Navigator Iryna Osadcha to explore the vital role of sleep in mental health for Ukrainian newcomers in the US.
This video is in Ukrainian and includes a presentation followed by Q&As. The auto-generated translation is available by clicking the Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Community Resiliency Model — Cultivating Skills for Well-Being of Ukrainian Newcomers - June 10, 2025
In this webinar, Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW, introduces the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)—a set of six essential wellness skills designed to support emotional well-being and build resilience in the face of trauma and stress.
Participants will learn accessible, science-based tools for regulating the nervous system and promoting emotional wellness. These skills are useful for both personal use and sharing with others, especially in times of acute stress or trauma.
This session is ideal for educators, mental health professionals, caseworkers, resettlement staff, and community-based organizations supporting newcomers.
Discussion on Women's Health with Dr. Sondos Al Sad ندوة عن صحة المرأة - May 15, 2025
In recognition of National Women’s Health Week, Esra Saleh, MD, MPH, Program Manager at CIRH, is joined by Dr. Sondos Al Sad, Associate Clinical Professor at UCSF and clinician at the Women’s Health Primary Care Center, for an important conversation on reproductive health and self-care.
This Arabic-language video provides essential information on reproductive health, the female reproductive system, and practical tips on how lifestyle choices can support women’s overall and reproductive well-being.
Very High Levels of Violent Discipline Among Children in Afghanistan with Dr. Saeedzai - April 11, 2025
Dr. Sayed Ataullah Saeedzai, MD, MSc, a seasoned public health expert with over 17 years of experience, joined Dr. Rafiullah Sadiq, MD, MICHA, CIRH's Refugee Health Navigator/Educator, to discuss the shockingly high levels of violent discipline against children in Afghanistan. The session explores the prevalence, key determinants, and socioeconomic disparities that shape the physical and psychological aggression in Afghan households and its long-term consequences for children.
This video is in Pashto and includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session. The auto-generated translation is available by clicking the Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Strengthening Refugee Women’s Health Through Reproductive Health Literacy Training - Mar 7, 2025
Reproductive health is a critical yet often overlooked issue in refugee communities due to stigma, lack of access, and misinformation. In this webinar, our expert speakers, including Dr. Heike Thiel de Bocanegra, PhD, MPH, Dr. Ahmad Fahim Pirzada, MD, MPH, and Asiya Yama, will introduce the Refugee Reproductive Health Network (ReproNet) and share key strategies and resources to normalize conversations about reproductive health in clinical, school, and community settings.
This video is in English and includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
Discussion on Autism Spectrum Disorder with Dr. Sharifi - Feb 26, 2025
Dr. Osman Sharifi, Postdoctoral California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Fellow and CEO of 2C Bioscience, joined CIRH's Executive Director Mohammad Sediq Hazratzai to discuss the prevalence and epigenetics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sharing insights into its impact and underlying factors.
This video is in Dari and includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session. The auto-generated translation is available by clicking the Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Identifying and Overcoming Challenges Faced by Refugee Families with Dr. Rafiullah Sadiq, MD, MICHA - Feb 26, 2025
Dr. Rafiullah Sadiq, MD, MICHA, CIRH's Refugee Health Navigator, joined Jasmin Kouhkan, MSW, CIRH's Refugee Student Wellness Advisor, to discuss key barriers refugees face during resettlement and practical strategies for providers to offer support.
This video is in English and includes a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
Discussion on Afghan Refugee Legal Issues with Attorney Spojmie Nasiri - Feb 7, 2025
Attorney Spojmie Nasiri, Principal Attorney of Law Office of Spojmie Nasiri, PC and board member of the Afghan American Community Organization, joins Mohammad Sediq Hazratzai, Executive Director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health (CIRH), to discuss recent federal immigration measures and their potential impact on refugee and immigrant communities.
This conversation is in both Pashto and Dari. Auto-generated translation is available by clicking Subtitles/Closed Captions option.
Originally published by CIRH Academy
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