Families Connect

Despite the fact that health facilities receiving federal funds are required by law to provide free interpretative services to patients and clients, many newly-arrived refugees are unaware of their rights and how to advocate for themselves. Thus, in the fall of 2007, the San Felipe Humanitarian Alliance partnered with the International Rescue Committee to create a new program called Families Connect, a program that pairs refugee families with bilingual and bicultural family advocates who teach parenting as well as health education lessons. The family advocates serve as community liaisons, identifying and addressing family needs that might otherwise go unnoticed. Family advocates also connect families to resources which may be difficult to access due to language, cultural, and transportation barriers. Each family is also assisted by volunteer English tutors who conduct in-home lessons for the entire family. By having families learn collaboratively, Families Connect strengthens family bonds and promotes the importance of education at every age.

Since the program’s inception, 61 refugee families and 304 individuals have received services, 1,678 home visits were conducted, and over 900 hours of English lessons were taught by the 65 trained volunteers who work directly with the families in their homes.