Our Role The Refugee Health Unit under the UCSD Center for Community Health partnered with the United Women of East Africa Support Team (UWEAST) and their coalition, Making Connections Initiative. Their goal was to create opportunities for young men in the refugee community to learn about social emotional health, strengthen peer networks, and apply their combined leadership to mental health advocacy efforts. In response to a string of suicides among San Diego’s East African male community, our outreach workers and researchers have partnered with United Women of East Africa Support Team to develop a comprehensive, culturally-competent, community-level plan of mental health strategies. This program, called Making Connections for Mental Health and Well-being, provided resources for East African refugee males between the ages of 16 and 25. This population is at high risk for mental health issues including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression. Our goal was to help our youth become resilient, have a strong sense of self-identity and positively contribute to their communities and to society. Making Connections San Diego In City Heights, San Diego, United Women of East Africa Support Team (UWEAST) and their partners are working to transform and improve the lives of young men in the community. Mental Health and Well-Being Among Men Participants from Making Connections for Mental Health and Well-Being Among Men and Boys talk about why it is important for men and boys to join the conversation about mental health. News Mind Your Health: Mental Health Summit for San Diego’s East African Refugee Population News Cultural Literacy Training with Psychiatric Emergency Response Team News Connections for Mental Health and Well-being Theory of Change (PDF) This document provides an in-depth description of what strategies we are using to achieve optimal outcomes.
