Mental Health among Asylum-Seeking Migrants: A Critical Topic of Discussion and Suggestions for Improvement

At over 45 million people, the United States houses the largest number of immigrants in the world1. Specifically, according to the US Department of States, there are over 3 million asylum-seeking migrants with more than 300,000 estimated new arrivals in 20212. These immigrants face a multitude of stressors throughout their migration experience. Pre-migration stressors can […]

Refugees & Migrants Face Major Mental Health Challenges 4/27/2022

San Diego County is home to many refugees and migrants and the current crisis highlights the longstanding crisis of migration that is driven by multiple factors.  According to the California Department of Social Services, between the year of 1975 to 2017, 86,598 refugees came to San Diego County. The rate of arrival has increased in […]

The Family APGAR:  Dimensions of Family Functionality 5/21/21

We are all familiar with the APGAR score as a critical tool in neonatal assessment.  Not so, the Family APGAR, which is a tool that measures important elements of a family system that can be helpful in assessing a family’s resources and functionality in responding to the vicissitudes and challenges in their lives.   As with […]

Occupational Therapy for Children and Youth with Mental Health Conditions 3/12/2021

With an eye toward issues of prevention and resiliency, but also with a view toward the challenges with recovery and inclusion, today’s E-Weekly explores the roles that occupational therapy and related activities may play in enhancing rehabilitation and adaptation for individuals with developmental and behavioral health disorders.   The old adage that “if the only tool […]

Long Term Effects of Childhood Bullying

A recent article in JAMA Psychiatry brings to the forefront an ongoing important topic – the long-term effects of childhood bullying, particularly on a person’s mental health. Bullying at a young age puts people at a higher risk for developing depression and other psychiatric conditions requiring treatment by young adulthood compared to people who were […]