In classrooms across the Northeast, JRS/USA’s mental health experts highlighted how critical mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programming is for refugees and forcibly displaced people. The JRS/USA Speakers Tour, “Por Todos,” led by Outreach Officer Clara Sayans, invited audiences to understand JRS’s approach to providing holistic care.

“Fairfield University was honored to host the JRS Speakers Tour on our campus in October and our ongoing partnership with JRS is especially important in our role as the convenor of the JUHAN network under Fairfield University’s Center for Social Impact,” said Julie Mughal Associate Director of Humanitarian Action at Fairfield University’s Center for Social Impact. “The importance of the partnership with JRS cannot be overstated; their staff provide important context and up-to-date information on policies as well as insights into the Agency’s current advocacy efforts – all of which are important for faculty in their research and work with students both in the classroom and through co-curricular experiences.”

Rooted in the Jesuit principle of cura personalis, or care of the whole person, JRS/USA integrates MHPSS into education, livelihoods training, emergency relief, healthcare, and reconciliation programs, creating more openness and accessibility to mental health support.

“Refugees are ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances,” shared Katie Mullins, JRS/USA’s Senior MHPSS Specialist, emphasizing that most often, refugees are responding appropriately to the life-altering and life-threatening situation that forces them to flee in the first place. Audience members learned that ongoing stressors-securing shelter, work, food, and taking care of family members-can often cause more harm than the initial act of fleeing. JRS’s programs focus on building resilience to cope with these pressures.

“This talk helped me understand how Ignatian principles are applied when working with refugee populations, particularly through accompaniment, and how I could integrate the Jesuit model of accompaniment into my clinical framework,” said Diana Lozinger, a clinical mental health counseling graduate student at the University of Scranton.

Adding insights from the US-Mexico border, JRS mental health clinician Adalberto (Beto) Sanchez shared his experience providing MHPSS for asylum seekers taking the next steps in their journey. Together with his colleague, Daniela Lagunes, he visits shelters daily across El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, guiding participants through group therapy, counseling, art therapy, and recreational activities.

“While we often hear about refugees and asylum seekers, it can feel abstract,” said Dr. Mike Allison, Professor and Chair of Political Science. “Katie and Beto’s presentations gave the Scranton community a global overview of humanitarian assistance in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well as personal narratives of migrants directly served by JRS programs.”

At Fordham University, Katie and Beto joined a panel with other experts to discuss the role of mental health in humanitarian work. “In an increasingly interconnected world, mental health knows no borders. Accompanying migrants and asylum seekers requires us, in any capacity and for as long as necessary, to offer space and grace as we witness their suffering,” remarked Dr. Eric Chen, Associate Professor of Psychological and Educational Services. “At the same time, we need to safeguard their hope by helping them access psychosocial support and resources as they navigate cultural and geographical transitions.”

“This event highlighted the wide range of mental health issues migrants face and how needs vary between locations, such as at the border versus in the receiving community,” noted Penny Joseph, a Fordham University student. “It was powerful to hear about the different contexts the panelists work in, and the specific mental health needs each one presents.”

As forced displacement continues to rise, JRS remains dedicated to making MHPSS a pillar of support. We extend our gratitude to the universities for underscoring the role of MHPSS and invite others to advocate for the MINDS Act, which funds mental health care for those impacted by conflict. Send your message through JRS’s Action Alert by clicking here.