The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has established a behavioral health program for new resettled Afghans in the United States.
The program was launched through funding from HHS' Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to a Feb. 15 release from USCRI. It aims to support Afghans in the United States who have received resettlement benefits through the Afghan placement and settlement program.
The program has established a 24/7 crisis hotline and five on-site behavioral health teams, with two teams in Texas and one in Florida, Washington and Pennsylvania. These states either have a large number of resettled Afghans or the highest need for treatment.
The program seeks to address the stress and anxiety of resettling in another country. These challenges are particularly present for Afghan refugees following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, the release said.