Supporting Refugees with Disabilities:
Our Work with Honda and WITH Foundations

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI),is proud to lead two innovative, grant-funded initiatives aimed at improving access to care and services for refugees with disabilities across the United States. With support from the Honda Foundation and the WITH Foundation, we are building inclusive, sustainable systems of care that respond to the unique needs of this often-overlooked population.

In response to a record-high influx of refugee arrivals, USCRI has seen a surge in demand for timely diagnosis, comprehensive care, and culturally appropriate disability services. A 2023 University of Arizona study confirmed critical service gaps, including:

Limited professional capacity to bridge cultural and language barriers
Fragmented coordination between refugee, disability, and health services
Insufficient sharing of best practices and resources
Lack of individualized care approaches
Minimal community outreach and education for health equity

The new initiative aims to:

Increase access to culturally appropriate, comprehensive healthcare services for refugees with developmental disabilities.
Strengthen cross-sector coordination between refugee resettlement and disability service providers.
Improve quality of care and mobility accommodations for refugees with disabilities.
Promote inclusive health education and community dialogue among stakeholders.

Learn More about

USCRI’s Refugee Health Services

Honda Foundation Grant:
Expanding Access and Training

With a generous $100,000 grant from the Honda Foundation, USCRI is implementing a one-year program to increase access to comprehensive care, mobility accommodations, and tailored resources for refugees with disabilities.

Key Objectives:

Provide trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically appropriate care
Offer accessible transportation to over 40 clients
Train 150+ staff across USCRI field offices in Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, and Ohio

Program Highlights:

Developing a disability-informed training and technical assistance (TTA) curriculum
Creating a national service directory for refugee and disability service providers
Hosting learning communities and outreach events to strengthen provider networks

Anticipated Impact:

Serve 100+ refugee clients with disabilities during the grant period
Improve service quality and coordination across agencies
Build long-term capacity to train 400+ staff and support 650+ clients beyond the grant’s duration

WITH Foundation Grant:
Building Inclusive Health Systems

With support from the WITH Foundation, USCRI is launching a one-year TTA and outreach program to:

Train 300+ medical and direct service providers nationwide, including in the San Francisco Bay Area
Improve care coordination across Primary Care Associations, FQHCs, CHCs, hospital systems, and public agencies
Directly impact 60 adult refugee clients with developmental disabilities, and benefit 400+ more indirectly

Proposed Goals and Outcomes:

Increased professional capacity to address the unique healthcare needs of refugees with disabilities
Increased efficiency in accessing primary and comprehensive care
Increased access to culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare services
Increased understanding of the intersections of health, disability, and migration among professionals, policymakers, and community support networks

Long-Term Vision:

Throughout the program, USCRI and the University of Arizona will collect data, monitor impact, and report outcomes. After one year, we anticipate more efficient coordination of professional interventions to meet the needs of refugees with developmental disabilities—locally and nationally

Strategic Partnerships:

Collaboration with the University of Arizona to integrate evidence-based care models and provider education
Establishment of an advisory committee composed of individuals with lived experience and field professionals
Emphasis on participatory design, community engagement, and equitable compensation for disability experts