Resources for Afghan Arrivals

[Updated: November 15, 2021]

 Resources for Afghan Arrivals

[Updated: November 15, 2021]

More background links:

East Bay Afghan residents process grief amid rush to resettle refugees (The Oaklandside, 08/25/21)

The Economist’s latest coverage of the conflict, what it means for America and the ensuing humanitarian crisis.

USA for UNHCR background page

UNHCR The Refugee Brief – 3 September 2021

Bay Area Immigrant and Refugee Forums, Offices of Immigrant Affairs, Etc. 

East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum  (EBRIF) (510-282-7550) The East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum (EBRIF) was established in 1978 as the East Bay Refugee Forum in response to a large influx of Southeast Asian refugees. We are a coalition of over 35 agencies, organizations, advocates and community leaders serving immigrants, refugees, asylees, Special Immigrant Visa holders and others permanently displaced from their home countries by persecution, violence, or war who now seek refuge in the San Francisco East Bay. The EBRIF includes resettlement organizations, community-based non-profit organizations, community-based groups, members of the refugee community, individual advocates, community leaders, and government agencies. Sean Kirkpatrick, Coordinator coordinator@EBRIF.org

Stand Together Contra Costa  (info@standtogethercontracosta.org) Stand Together Contra Costa is a rapid response, legal services, and community education project to support safety and justice for immigrant families in Contra Costa County.  An innovative partnership between Contra Costa County, philanthropy, and community-based organizations, Stand Together Contra Costa provides culturally competent, no-cost rapid response support, legal defense services, and immigrant rights education and training to support families impacted by anti-immigrant policies and practices affecting Contra Costa County residents. The mission of Stand Together Contra Costa is to ensure that all people in Contra Costa County, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay, are afforded the rights established by the United States Constitution, and are protected from actions or policies that result in disparate, discriminatory, or unlawful treatment. Ali Saidi, Director

SF-CAIRS  SF Refugee & Immigrant Forum  sf.cairs@gmail.com   Established in 2007, SF-CAIRS is a coalition of organizations serving the San Francisco Bay Area asylee, immigrant and refugee community and service providers. SF-CAIRS is a multidisciplinary body of over 60 agencies and 240 members with representation from city, state and federal partners, community-based organizations, employment, immigration and health care providers, educational and vocational training organizations and other support services. We collaborate to ensure all immigrants live healthy and productive lives in a safe and inclusive environment by expanding resource knowledge among service providers about health, employment, social, education and legal services for recent refugees, political asylees and immigrants in San Francisco.

SF-CAIRS houses the materials and resources for the Statewide monthly New Asylee Orientations. 

This orientation is conducted in English. 

*We must have at least three registrants to provide interpretation in Spanish or Mandarin. We are working to provide other languages. Please have an interpreter or someone to assist you. 

The San Francisco Asylum Office is pleased to announce a virtual orientation for persons with asylum status. You have the right to programs and new benefits and resources as a newly granted asylee. Some of these benefits are limited and time sensitive, beginning on the date that you are granted asylum. This orientation focuses on California benefits and services. However, some information applies to persons with asylum status throughout the U.S.A. 

2022 Orientation Date & Time. Held on the second Tuesday of the month. 10am – 12:30pm

This orientation covers important information on: 

• Your right to employment 

• Health insurance and healthcare 

• Cash and food benefits 

• The education system in the U.S. 

• Immigration and other legal issues such as family reunification, travel and how to stay on track to adjust status to lawful permanent residency 

• Contact links to government agencies and resource 

• Assistance to link to first medical care through the California Office of Refugee Health 

For more information and details about orientation dates and link to registration, please visit SF-CAIRS’ dedicated New Asylee Orientation page here: http://sf-cairs.org/asylum-orientation/

Case Management

Burma Refugee Families and Newcomers (BRFN) (510-730-2736) Social Adjustment services for new arrivals in need of assistance to navigate new systems.

Refugee and Immigrant Transitions (RIT) (415-989-2151) Provides ESL for adults in a school-based setting to include family literacy, social adjustment services (to assist refugees and asylees to navigate new systems (such as safety net services to include health care, public benefits etc.), youth programs & services, education, home based tutoring.

Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI),  info@cerieastbay.org will provide community-based mental health services, support groups, individual case management, resource management. (We are doing this in a limited capacity at this moment, and are hoping to hire a Dari/Pashtu-speaking counselor and case managers very soon!)

Housing

Eden I&R

• housing services in Alameda County:

  • http://www.acgov.org/probation/documents/EdenI&R-Housing_ProgramsandServices_3-22-18.pdf

  • http://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Alameda-County-Coordinated-Entry-Flyer.pdf

• Bay Area Community Services (BACS) (Housing navigation: runs several Housing Resource Centers, Housing Liaison, Housing Education and Counseling https://www.bayareacs.org/housing-navigation/ Keep Oakland Housed Program: emergency financial assistance, supportive services, and legal representation https://www.keepoaklandhoused.org/ Short-Term Housing: Housing Fast Support Network in Henry Robinson Center (137 beds, Oakland), “The Holland” Rapid Re-housing (90 beds, Oakland), Berkeley Pathways STAIR Center (West Berkeley) http://www.bayareacs.org/short-term-housing-respite/ Long-Term Housing: Permanent, low-cost, six-bedroom shared housing in residential homes http://www.bayareacs.org/long-term-housing/ 

• Contra Costa: BACS runs Don Brown Housing First in Antioch: rapid re-housing for Contra Costa homeless who need support for mental health issues

• DreamCatcher Youth Services Youth Shelter and Youth Support Services for cis and trans youth (lunch, dinner, case management/crisis counseling, health education workshops, health clinic, HIV/STD testing/counseling, academic/peer support, computer/job training, teen parenting/prenatal support group, family mediation, legal advocacy, transportation/bus passes, arts/recreation: https://covenanthousecalifornia.org/dreamcatcher-youth-services/   https://www.facebook.com/pg/AFS-DreamCatcher-RunawayHomeless-Youth-Services-Division-200220797846/about/?ref=page_internal Hotline:(800) 379-1114 Phone: (800) 379-1114

• Covenant House Covenant House provides housing and supportive services to youth facing homelessness. We help young people transform their lives and put them on a path to independence.

Immigration and Public Benefits Legal Services

Bay Area Legal Aid (510-663-4744) provides low-income clients with free civil legal assistance, including legal advice and counsel, effective referrals, and legal representation. We are the largest civil legal aid provider serving seven Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. We help our clients protect their families, their health, and their livelihoods through the following practice areas and special projects: Consumer protection; health care access; domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and services; immigration; economic justice; housing preservation and homelessness prevention; reentry; veterans services; youth services.

Jewish Family and Community Services – East Bay (JFCS-East Bay) Provider of refugee resettlement services in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties and immigration legal services.   (925) 927-2000

Jubilee Immigration Advocates (415-813-1958) Jubilee Immigration Advocates is a nonprofit that provides legal representation on a wide range of immigration matters. We provide free and low bono immigration legal services. Our staff speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese and French. Our desire is to make quality immigration legal services affordable and accessible to marginalized and underserved immigrants. Counties served: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma. Areas of immigration legal services: Adjustment of Status, Asylum applications, Consular Processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment authorization, Family-based petitions, NACARA, Naturalization/Citizenship, Removal hearings, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions

Oasis Legal Services (510- 666-6687) Legal immigration services to under-represented low-income groups with a focus on LGBTQIA+ communities.

PARS Equality Center (650-321-6400 or 408-261-6400) Provides ESL, home-based tutoring, immigration services, social services, interpretation services, employment assistance services. PARS works closely with the Afghan Coalition as their legal branch and is the primary agency in the Bay Area serving the legal needs of Afghans (many humanitarian parole applications, SIV, etc.)

Pangea Legal Services (415-254-0475) Pangea provides full-scope legal representation to immigrants in both detained and non-detained immigration court proceedings.  Our services are low fee and free, and our clients are newcomers and long-term residents in the United States.  We focus on providing representation in the area of deportation defense; approximately 80% of our clients are in deportation proceedings. We represent detained immigrants in bond proceedings, removal hearings, and in encounters with ICE and asylum officials. We believe that no person should be detained for exercising their freedom to move, and are working hard with our clients, families, and our partner organizations to expose the harm immigration detention inflicts on individuals and entire communities. We believe that everyone has the right to move and resettle around the world with dignity and respect. That’s why we work to stop deportations in immigration court and find a way for people to remain in the U.S. with their families and loved ones. Pangea is dedicated to making high-quality legal services more accessible to immigrant communities. We offer pro-bono and low-bono services in for individuals in removal proceedings and those currently being held in immigrant detention. Pangea also strives to build a community-led deportation defense model that does more than provide high-quality representation. We create space for our clients to become agents of change in their communities by connecting them with local grassroots groups and opportunities to share their stories with the public, media, and elected officials.

Below are the resources compiled by the Afghan Resources Project, including the sponsor FAQ. Noting that one of our attorneys is working with the ILRC to get a more thorough and updated FAQ that should be ready shortly. We will forward when it's ready.

Here are all our resources: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18GpwF-voG8BoNpGViEyDfKuama-eak4N?usp=sharing

Here is the Sponsor FAQ sheet we made:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/11xd1SrlDB5_Tx_E2-7pWAf-FIe71CwbaUbe2zxwYJdU/edit

Sharing more Afghan Resources Project materials - all available here: https://www.pangealegal.org/afghanresources 

Disability Law Advocates PC office is experienced and passionate to help refugees, immigrants and others to: (a) apply/appeal/represent those in need at the hearings for disability (public benefits) SSI /SSDI in front of Social Security Administration; (b) Our office also provides training to care/assistance providers on the proper screening, timely referrals for SSI/SSDI and the inter-relations of SSI and SSDI  with other public or other benefits-resources: County benefits-General Assistance, encouraging employment while receiving SSI-SSDI, In home support services, schooling, medical treatment, medical waivers regarding immigration status etc. (c) we also partner and welcome collaborations to create an empowering pathway for refugees to engage, integrate and be productive in a new adopted home (USA) and not just rely on SSI, or other public benefit/resources, due to lack of information provided to them.  Contact info: Mrs. Hatixhe B. Grbeshi, J.D (a former refugee trained in law and mental health). hatixhe@forooghilaw.com Phone 408-453-3500. Fax 408 453-3900. Disability Law Advocates PC , 1922 the Alameda, Suite 308, San Jose, CA 95126. Supervising Attorney, Mr. Nick F. Forooghi, Attorney-At-Law . nick@forooghilaw.com 

Available Social Services Agency Public Benefits

CDSS has issued guidance related to eligibility for social services for the following:

• Special Immigrant Parolees in SQ or SI: Eligibility of Special Immigrant Parolees in SQ/SI Categories Under the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 for Benefits and Services

• Humanitarian Parolees: Eligibility of Special Immigrant Parolees in SQ/SI Categories Under the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 for Benefits and Services

• Medi-Cal health benefits: Eligibility for New Afghan Arrivals

Health, Wellness, Behavioral Health

Health and Wellness and Mental Health Resources for the Afghan Community (EBRIF) A Google Spreadsheet with a growing list of health, wellness, and behavioral health resources is being compiled by EBRIF’s Health, Wellness, and Mental Health Work Group. The list (read-only) can be accessed here. If you have additional resources you would like to share via this list, please contact Lina Nazar. 

You can Prevent Tuberculosis (English/Dari) 

You can Prevent Tuberculosis (English/Pashto)

Afghan Coalition is the main agency in the area and the only ECBO here led by Afghans. Afghan Coalition provides a variety of different services to the community. Afghan Coalition also provides many services that are available to the public including: Cultural Counseling, assistance with Social Services, job-hunting, and translation. Other services include:​ Mental Health for Adults Contact & for Youth, Prevention Visits (Home, Phone, Virtual, Field, etc.)​ Prevention Counseling Visits (Telehealth, Phone, Virtual), Workshops Psychoeducation and Education (Virtual), Domestic Violence for Families, Keep Fremont House, English Literacy Classes, Cal-Fresh Enrollment, Social Service Advocacy, TEAM & CHANGES, Micro-enterprise Project.

International Rescue Committee (lead) and Refugee & Immigrant Transitions (subcontractor) hold the Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) contract focused on the Afghan community for Northern Alameda County, funded by Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. They have many other programs but this one specifically provides health and wellness support only for Afghans. Staff for these programs are Afghan.

Partnerships for Trauma Recovery (510) 295-4924) Provides mental health care for international survivors of human rights abuses and clinical training for psychology and social work students.

Street Level Health Project (SLHP) (510-533-9906) Provides health care (urgent & general care), assistance in accessing safety net services to include linkages to a medical home for primary and specialty care, health insurance assistance (Medi-Cal and HealthPAC), food assistance, social support & mental health.

The Wright Institute Sanctuary Project (WISP) 510-239-2016 WISP offers psychological evaluation services and low-fee psychotherapy to asylum seekers who are clients of the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant.

Rachel Michaelsen (rachel@rachelmichaelsen.com) (510-289-2406) is an Oakland Therapist and Teacher, who specializes in energy therapy that can be very helpful for PTSD.  In 2018 we did a free workshop for the staff of Santa Clara County immigrant and refugee service providers.  Rachel has offered a free workshop to teach people who are working with the refugees, simple techniques to help clear stress, trauma and shock.  These techniques have been successfully used internationally to help survivors of traumatic events.  I have posted links to the Trauma Tapping Technique (TTT) in the Blog, Self Care in Difficult Times, on my website.

There is a video demonstration and handouts in | English | Arabic | Dari | Farsi | French | German | Somali | Spanish | Tigrinya |

The blog also contains links to other therapeutic tools that are free and don't require a therapist.

Domestic Violence

Alameda County Social Services Agency

Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (415) 567-6255

Asian Women’s Shelter (415) 751-7110

Alameda County Family Justice Center (415) 567-6255 

NARIKA ( 510-444-6068 Office Line and 510-444-6048 for Helpline) A confidential helpline for survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

STAND! For Families Free of Violence (1-888-215-5555 for crisis line and 925-676-2774 for office) Domestic Violence Service Provider in Contra Costa County providing prevention, intervention, and treatment programs in community partnership to stop domestic violence and child abuse, deliver children’s therapy, childcare, and children’s educational programs to abused children and those affected by domestic violence, trains legal and law enforcement personnel, human services professionals, educators and health care providers, provides safety net services and referrals to those affected by DV and family violence.

W.O.M.A.N., Inc. (415) 567-6255

Volunteers/In-Kind Donations

* What are we collecting these items for? All collections (more info below) are made available to the resettlement agencies (JFCS - East Bay and IRC) for their newcomer Afghan clients. These collections are intended to make the newcomer arrival experience, with very little in hand, a little nicer. The agencies give them to newcomer clients when they begin to work with them. Storage space is tight for the agencies, so we have identified some main "hubs" for collections to stay for the time being. These collections will also be available for those community organizations that are also serving newcomer Afghans. 

* Progress on collections so far! To date, your community efforts have brought 41 concurrent collection drives happening! Yay! That means hundreds of community members contributing. Collection drives are for very specific items, with detailed instructions: Welcome Baskets (see the note below), Family Toiletry Kits (see the note below), Backpacks with School Supplies, Diapers/Wipes, Women's Personal Items, Gift Cards. More on current needs below. My guess is that the total kits collected so far are about 450! Thank you to all who are working on this. 

Welcome Baskets and Family Toiletry Kits - at this point, we don't need new collections, but if you're collecting these already, and have previously coordinated with us, thank you and please keep going!

What is needed now, you ask?

* Newly purchased backpacks with school supplies! You can make one or you can organize a drive with your community. Two kinds are needed: for elementary school and middle/high school kids. Elementary age backpacks should have in them: pack of markers, pack of colored pencils, pack of pencils, erasers, small pencil sharpener, lined paper notebook, tape, ruler, yellow highlighter, pens, child scissors, construction paper, index cards, (optional: lunch bag, water bottle, stickers or small toy). Middle/high school age backpacks should have: pack of pencils, erasers, pens, yellow highlighter, sharpie, ruler, index cards, 1-3 lined paper notebooks, paper folders to store papers, scissors, tape, (optional: lunch bag, water bottle, small toy). Only newly purchased items, please. If you would like to collect these, reply to me and I'll forward your contact info to a lead who can help with ideas and delivery when finished.

* Diapers, wipes and women's personal items. You can contribute one box, or organize a drive with your community. All in closed and new packages, please. All sizes needed. For specific info on women's personal items needed, please reply to me. If you want to do a drive, let me know and I will connect you to a lead who will help you. 

* Gift cards! This is a very helpful way to empower a newcomer family or individual to buy what they need. Gift cards are needed from: VISA, Target, Walmart, Safeway, Amazon only. Some groups who have found it easy to collect funds with one person, they go out to purchase the actual cards, and get them to us. If you would like to do a drive with your community, please reply to me. I will help with delivery to the agencies.  Recommended value of gift cards: $50 on up.  

* Drivers and transport helpers SUPER needed: Do you have some weekday, daytime hours available? Have a larger car or truck (although not required)? Willing to be vetted as a volunteer with IRC? IRC is very much in need of a team of helpers they can call on for: transport or pick up or donated items, apartment set-up help, running errands - and they require their volunteers be background checked. (They will waive the fees.) Please reply to me with: make of your car, your general availability, the city you live in.

* Provide a complete week's worth of fresh and specific foods for a newcomer family (shopping tips and list provided)! This is a wonderful way to help a family land here safely, and be well fed. IRC has this need, and we have all instructions for how you can do this. This is a great family or community project - collect funds/split shopping duties and then deliver the full and complete package to a designated spot (in Oakland). Interested? Reply to me. 

* Do you know an apartment building owner, landlord, property manager, who would be willing to make an apt available for newcomer Afghan families? One barrier for newcomers is the credit history and minimum income requirements for apartments. If you have a connection who would be willing at least to waive the requirements (or not require a co-signer), please send them our way. Major need!

What is NOT being accepted in this moment: 

• gently used clothes

• furniture or household items

  We will let you know if this changes. 

* Know of a group or person who is taking up a collection? Feel free to let them know to contact me. This is not required, but helpful as we all track how many of each thing is being provided. (We wouldn't want to end up with 17,000 backpacks, for instance!) I can help update on need by the agencies, and add them to the list. 

* Amazon Wish Lists: Please consider going to these wish lists from JFCS East Bay and IRC. When you purchase, items are shipped directly to the agency....  

International Rescue Committee: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/35QCVLLGHCCLK?ref_=wl_share&fbclid=IwAR3f0gfEGhCRblIK5NCPmbIJ5MFqMpIATZGEEj5VtqWWvYNhxZgADXKISSE

Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1CW3QPCLGZMBC/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist&pldnSite=1

Faith- and Community-based Organizations

Harbor House Ministries (510-534-0165) Provides ESL, food, clothing and housing assistance, youth programs and services, education, employment and job training, and childcare programs.

Muslim Community Center-East Bay has hundreds of volunteers and resources (they've assisted some of our clients with rental assistance).

Other Immigrant and Refugee-Serving Partners 

1951 Coffee (510-280-6153) Provides training to new arrival refugees and asylees as baristas in the coffee industry.

African Advocacy Network (AAN) (415-503-1032) Provides safety net service assistance, immigration legal services, education, interpretation, community navigator services for new arrivals who herald from countries across the African continent.

American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter (510-595-4400) Provides resources for emergencies including disasters to include emergency messaging, and re-connecting families separated by armed conflicts and other international crises.

ARTogether (916-534-5389) ARTogether is a resource center for the Bay Area’s refugee community, providing free creative arts workshops within a setting that supports social gathering, human connection, and community-building. ARTogether strives to adapt to the special circumstances of the diverse groups that they work with, considering family, country of origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, time in the United States, and access to transportation. ARTogether partners with local organizations to develop and customize its workshops and community events, while providing financial and community support for local refugee artists. ARTogether’s activities are led by talented and passionate artists, most of whom are bilingual and belong to underrepresented groups, including women, people of color, and the queer community. ARTogether stands alone as the only creative arts program in the San Francisco Bay Area that specifically serves refugees.

Asian Health Services (510-735-3100)  Asian Health Services provides health, social, and advocacy services for all regardless of income, insurance status, immigration status, language, or culture. Our approach to wellbeing focuses on “whole patient health,” which is why we provide more than primary care services, including mental health, case management, nutrition, and dental care to more than 28,000 patients in English and over 12 Asian languages: Cantonese, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Mien, Lao, Mongolian, Karen, Karenni, and Burmese. We offer medical, dental, and mental health services for all ages. We also recognize that a patient’s health is directly linked to their social and economic circumstances. That’s why we are dedicated advocates, and we promote policies that make our communities a safer and healthier place to live.

At Home Humanitarian (801-641-6015) At Home Humanitarian is a grassroots effort focused on socially integrating refugees, asylees, and immigrants while building tolerance and understanding throughout their new communities. Our core work focuses on mentor matching, community acculturation events, and providing extracurricular opportunities. Mentorships, outings, and scholarships.

Bay Area Immigrant and Refugee Services (BAIRS) (510-574-0836 or 510-759-3508) Provides social services linkages, employment & job training, interpretation services, and older refugee adult services.

Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB) (510-768-3106) Housing assistance, general legal services, social services, social support and mental health services, financial assistance and resources, financial literacy, emergency shelter services.

Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants CERI) (510-444-1671) Mental health and other social services linkages to refugee and immigrant families, clinical therapy, group therapy, wellness activities for men and women, ESL.

Community Health for Asian Americans (CHAA) (510-835-2777) Health benefits, food & housing assistance, social services, immigration & legal services, social support & mental health services, domestic violence resources, substance abuse services, youth programs & services, interpretation & community navigator services.

​​Diversity in Health Training Institute (DHTI) (510-838-1110) Helps immigrants pursue healthcare careers through coaching, training in job skills necessary for employment in the US healthcare system, and developing pathways to employers. 

Korean Community Center of the East Bay (KCCEB) (844-828-2254) Korean Community Center of the East Bay's mission is to empower Bay Area immigrants through access to education, services, resources and advocacy. Since 1977, we have been a bridge to help Korean and other Asian immigrants get needed resources at critical moments in their lives. We offer services in Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. The Immigration Integration Program supports immigrants to become engaged members of society. We offer no-to-low cost immigration services for immigrants seeking to become naturalized citizens. The Community Health Access Program supports access to affordable health care and social services. We assist individuals in healthcare enrollment, social service support, case management and a Korean language information and referral service at no cost. The Asian Community Wellness Program promotes mental health and community wellness with a focus on low-income East Asian communities. We offer free counseling, health promotion classes, wellness workshops and leadership classes.

Lao Family Community Development, Inc. (LFCD) (510-533-8850) Provides employment and job training, ESL, youth programs & services,  interpretation services, microloan, microfinance, individual development savings accounts, financial literacy, and crime victim support assistance.

Soccer Without Borders (510-859-4874) Provides year-round soccer, community-building, and academic support activities for refugee children and youth. Free program that provides sports equipment needed for youth to play in soccer leagues with their SWB teams throughout the Fall, Winter, Spring and offers educational summer camps.

Upwardly Global (415-834-9901) Employment assistance and job search skills training for recently arrived immigrant and refugee professionals to the US who have full work authorization.

Vietnamese American Community Center of the East Bay (510-891-9999) ESL and citizenship classes, health and wellness education and screening, food and housing assistance, senior center, hot lunches and food bank program for seniors, social services, domestic violence resources, education, financial assistance & resources, rapid response education program and legal referrals for undocumented, employment placement, notary services, voter registration services, interpretation & community navigator services, computer literacy, and DOJ-certified services for citizenship application (N-400).

School Districts

Oakland Unified School Districts (OUSD)

Oakland International High School (OIHS)(510-597-4287) Provides ESL, mental health, youth programs, education, financial & computer literacy. Oakland International High School opened in August 2007 with the support of the Internationals Network of Public Schools, Oakland Unified School District, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The school targets a population of students, newly arrived immigrants, who have historically been underserved nationally, in California, and in Oakland. OIHS is a member of the Internationals Network for Public Schools a non-profit organization that grew out of the work of a group of International high schools in New York City. It now supports 18 schools based in New York City, Virginia, and the Ca Bay Area. Our first school opened in 1985; two more followed in the 1990’s. Since 2001, the network has opened and supported 15 additional high schools with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The network’s mission is to provide quality education to recently arrived immigrants by developing and networking small high schools based on the Internationals approach. For more information, please visit their website at: http://www.internationalsnps.org.

​​Oakland Unified School District Refugee & Asylee Student Assistance Program (OUSD RASAP) (510-273-1661) School enrollment, placement, and support for new arrival students and their families. The Refugee & Asylee Program identifies, supports, and tracks newly-arrived refugee students, providing crucial services in support of their school integration and academic success. By working together with community partners and other OUSD departments, our program allows for school sites to both refer students and reach out to the program for assistance when needed. Specifically, our program offers school enrollment assistance, school orientation, tutoring, family engagement, and targeted educational support for refugee students and families during the summer. Additionally, we provide educational case management for high-need students, and social-emotional learning opportunities for refugee & asylee students, such as our partnerships with Soccer Without Borders and Opera Piccola, a community arts organization. Contact: Nate Dunstan is the Program Manager, Newcomer and Refugee/Asylee Services. Email: nathaniel.dunstan@ousd.org

Oakland Adult and Career Education Oakland Unified School District’s (OUSD) Oakland Adult and Career Education (OACE) has been committed to providing Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE) for immigrants, dropouts and those most vulnerable in Oakland for 145 years. OACE is the second oldest adult school in California, founded in 1871. OACE is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and all instructors are credentialed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. OACE has a community-based service delivery model, in 20 locations throughout the city of Oakland.

Hayward Unified School District (HUSD)

Newcomer Services The Newcomer Services Team supports newly arrived students and families who have arrived to the U.S. in the last 6 years. We serve asylees, refugees, children of migrant families and unaccompanied immigrant minors. Our program is dedicated to providing Hayward Unified School District Newcomer students and families with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Contact: Carolina Fortin, Newcomer Services Coordinator, (510) 723-3857 Ext. 34220  cf561@husd.us   

The Hayward Adult School Center for Education and Careers Beginning in 1934, the Adult School was called the Hayward Union Evening School and held classes in the evenings at the old Hayward High School building on Foothill Blvd. In the Spring of 2012, the Hayward Unified School District Board approved the name change of the school to the Hayward Center for Education and Careers. Our campus continues to provide opportunities for students to learn English, obtain their GED/High School Diploma, gain career and technical education, parenting, and employability skills to fulfill their life-long learning goals. The Hayward Center is an integral part of the Hayward education community with satellite class offerings for HUSD parents at various elementary and middle schools and afternoon credit recovery classes for high school students at their home campus.

Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) Contact: Melissa Espinoza   mespinoza@fusdk12.net

Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD)

Bay Area County Systems

Alameda County

Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (510-567-8100) Our mission is to maximize the recovery, resilience and wellness of all eligible Alameda County residents who are developing or experiencing serious mental health, alcohol or drug concerns. We envision communities where all individuals and their families can successfully realize their potential and pursue their dreams, and where stigma and discrimination against those with mental health and/or alcohol and drug issues are remnants of the past.

Alameda County Public Health Department (510-267-8000) Alameda County Public Health Department serves 1.5 million residents in 13 cities. The backbone of ACPHD’s work includes health assessments, disease prevention and control, community mobilization and outreach, policy development, education, and assurance of access to quality medical and health care services.

Alameda County Social Services Agency  Administers Public Safety Net Benefit Programs to include CalWORKS, CalFRESH, MediCal, Refugee Cash Assistance, General Assistance, domestic violence resources, employment and job training supportive services/referrals, and emergency shelter service. Seat of the County Refugee Coordinator.

Alameda County Medical Center Eastmont Wellness (Refugee Health/Alameda Health Systems) (510-895-7355) Provides Refugee Health Screening Services in Alameda County as well as ongoing primary care for adults and children.

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County Behavioral Health (925-957-5150) The mission of Contra Costa Behavioral Health, in partnership with consumers, families, staff, and community-based agencies, is to provide welcoming, integrated services for mental health, substance abuse, homelessness and other needs that promote wellness, recovery, and resiliency while respecting the complexity and diversity of the people we serve. Contra Costa Behavioral Health envisions a system of care that supports independence, hope, and healthy lives by making accessible behavioral health services that are responsive, integrated, compassionate, and respectful.

Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Division (925-608-4800) Employment & Human Services partners with the community to deliver quality services to ensure access to resources that support, protect, and empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency. Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA); Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

Contra Costa County Health Care Services (925-957-5400) Our mission is to care for and improve the health of all people in Contra Costa County with special attention to those who are most vulnerable to health problems.

San Francisco County

San Francisco Department of Public Health/Newcomers Health Program (415-206-8608) Health Care (SF Refugee Health Assessment Program, urgent & primary care, and referrals to specialists, Asylum Orientations). The Newcomers Health Program is a clinic and community-based health program with the mission to promote the health and well-being of refugees, asylees and immigrants throughout San Francisco. Our staff collaborates with health centers, community-based organizations and public health programs to respond to the health and social needs of refugee and immigrant communities. Newcomers Health Program is a program of the San Francisco Department of Public Health implemented in collaboration with the International Institute of the Bay Area, and Family Health Center’s Refugee Medical Clinic. Through these and other collaborations, and a range of clinic- and community-based programs and services, we promote the health and well-being of refugees and immigrants in San Francisco.

Santa Clara County

San Mateo County

State Resources 

Refugee Programs Bureau The Refugee Programs Bureau (RPB) on behalf of the California Department of Social Services provides statewide administration of California's Refugee Resettlement Program and the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program within pertinent federal guidelines, funding constraints and the State Plan.  The RPB has responsibility for managing and coordinating the delivery of benefits and services to the refugee and entrant populations of California in partnership with counties and local refugee service providers.  The RPB also has oversight responsibility for the Repatriation Program, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program, Refugee School Impact Grant, Older Refugee Discretionary Grant and the Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program.

Contact:

California Department of Social Services
Refugee Programs Bureau, MS 9-6-646
P.O. Box 944243
Sacramento, CA 94244-2430
RPB Staff Roster
Email: RPB@dss.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 654-4356
Fax: (916) 654-7187

Office of Refugee Health  The Office of Refugee Health works with impacted local health jurisdictions, health providers, and voluntary resettlement agencies to provide culturally and linguistically-appropriate comprehensive health assessments, and other health services, to newly arrived refugees, asylees, victims of severe forms of human trafficking (federally-certified), and other eligible entrants to assist them in achieving self-sufficiency by becoming and staying healthy.

Contact:

California Department of Public Health
Center for Infectious Diseases 
Office of Refugee Health
MS 5204
P.O. Box 997377
Sacramento, CA 95899-7377

Telephone: (916) 552-8252    

Fax: (916) 636-6248

E-Mail: Refugee.Health@cdph.ca.gov

​

Federal Resources

Office of Refugee Resettlement The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides new populations with the opportunity to achieve their full potential in the United States. Our programs provide people in need with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society. The San Francisco Bay Area is covered by ORR’s Region 9 office. Contact: Diane Landino, Program Analyst Phone: (415) 437-8471 Email: diane.landino@acf.hhs.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security that administers the country's naturalization and immigration system. The San Francisco Bay Area is covered by USCIS’ Region 9 office. Contact: Jennifer LaForce, Community Relations Officer (detailee), Public Engagement Division | Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office/Cell: (415) 248-8654 Email: Jennifer.M.LaForce@uscis.dhs.gov

USCIS Contact Center Tip Sheet

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Contact Center Tip Sheet on how to communicate effectively with the USCIS Contact Center and outlines the use of online self-help tools and inquiry channels to ensure the best use of live telephone assistance.

The USCIS Contact Center Tip Sheet provides guidance on:

• When to call the USCIS Contact Center;

• Who can receive case information;

• How to navigate the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system;

• When to expect USCIS call-backs;

• Using an interpreter when receiving live assistance; and

• Scheduling biometric appointments.

In addition, the Tip Sheet explains how and when to contact the USCIS Contact Center to reschedule appointments and interviews, how to request expedited processing, and how we seek to ensure USCIS Contact Center representatives provide accurate and helpful information to callers.

US State Department

Below are resources from our office to assist with Afghan evacuation/immigration assistance as well as the most recent updates we received from the State Department. If you know of other organizations/offices that would benefit from these resources, please send me their contact info so I can add them to this list and send regular updates from the State Department. If you have any questions/want to connect, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at 408-329-3589--we are here to help in any way that we can!

State Department Guidance

•       US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) should shelter in place. Ensure that you have filled out a state department repatriation assistance request form at https://seirmprod.servicenowservices.com/kra AND a DoD AMCIT and Afghan Assistance Form with your latest details, to include citizen or LPR status.

•       State Department representatives are available at (202) 647 8667, toll 1 (888) 407 4747, and KABULACS@state.gov.

Full list of resources/State Department Guidance here.

Senator Alex Padilla’s Office Resources

•       Office Afghanistan Evacuation & Immigration Resources Page

•       If you or immediate family needs assistance evacuating or immigrating from Afghanistan, please fill out this evacuation assistance form.

•       If you have any questions, please reach out to us at afg-evac@padilla.senate.gov. 

•       For the latest alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, please visit: https://af.usembassy.gov/

•       For additional updates, follow the US Embassy on Facebook and Twitter and the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.

•       If working with the Department of Defense, please fill out the following forms *IN ADDITION* to the evacuation assistance form and email to afg-evac@padilla.senate.gov. 

•       Afghan Assistance Form

•       Kabul Evacuation Spreadsheet

Senator Padilla Legislative Updates

•       Senator Padilla introduced the bipartisan HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act with Senator John Cornyn that was passed in the Senate. The legislation will expedite the process for Afghan interpreters and translators who assisted U.S. troops during the War in Afghanistan to immigrate to the United States by waiving the requirement to undergo a medical exam for individuals who are otherwise eligible for special immigrant status under the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009.

•       Senator Padilla signed a letter to the Departments of State and Homeland Security calling for urgent measures to protect women and human rights defenders in Afghanistan who are facing urgent threats to their lives. In the bipartisan letter, the senators called on the Administration to create a humanitarian parole category specifically for women leaders, activists, human rights defenders, parliamentarians, journalists, and members of the Female Tactical Platoon of the Afghan Special Security Forces, and to streamline the paperwork process to facilitate referrals to allow for fast, humane, and efficient relocation to the United States.

•       Senator Padilla joined a bipartisan letter calling for the urgent evacuation of Afghan SIV applicants and their families, as well as the full and immediate implementation of legislation to expand the Afghan SIV program and streamline the application process.

•       He also signed a letter to urge the Biden administration to explore the use of parole to speed up entry for Afghans with already approved visa petitions.

Other Resources for Serving Afghan Clients

Switchboard recently published two blog posts aimed at service providers supporting clients and recent arrivals from Afghanistan. A Round-Up of Resources for Serving Afghan Evacuees shares federal policies, cultural orientation resources, and economic empowerment and digital inclusion resources. It includes a focus on resources available in Dari and Pashto. Supporting Clients and Staff Affected by the Crisis in Afghanistan provides tips that may be helpful to program staff and leaders as they seek to care for clients and staff affected by the situation in Afghanistan.

New Downloadable Resources 

A Trauma-Informed Understanding of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS): Switchboard's new information guide reviews key MHPSS concepts relevant to those who are designing and implementing services that seek to improve resettled refugees’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Click here to stream the accompanying webinar recording! 

Using Participatory Methods for More Inclusive Project Design and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): This information guide provides a brief introduction to the participation continuum; how to support successful participatory engagement; examples of specific methods and when to use them; and resources for learning more about the power, potential, and practical side of participatory methods.

Switchboard’s recent webinar Designing and Implementing Equitable and Inclusive Surveys provides additional insights related to inclusive M&E. Click here to stream the recording.

Preparing for Data Analysis: This tool provides guidance for preparing your data for analysis; a process also known as “data cleaning.” It contains a spreadsheet and accompanying instructional document that walk through this process of preparing data for analysis step by step using a sample data set. Click here to access. 

Responding to Increased Arrivals from Afghanistan - CORE (coresourceexchange.org)

Fremont is home to one of the largest Afghan communities in the US. The Family Resource Center has compiled a list of Afghan Refugee Resources to assist with visa information, legal services and other information on public benefits and how to support refugee relief efforts.

DeafHope has reached out to us on behalf of the Deaf community and would like to be in the loop if any refugees that are resettling in the Bay Area are Deaf.  Please spread the word, and if there are any new Deaf arrivals, please email deafhope@deaf-hope.org

Independence Line

Independence Line is a national hotline designed to help Afghan refugees access local resources for resettlement. The point of contact is Kohner Evans koevans@loyalsource.com, a case manager with the Independence Line. Their job is to find organizations and businesses who can help, and create connections between these various communities. The hotline is open 7 days a week, 8 am – 12 am EST. They’ve already helped clients with evacuation efforts, housing, employment and food security.