April 2026: National Minority Health Month
CRIS Community Connectors mentees recently got to kick off a Columbus Crew match as “match igniters”
April is National Minority Health Month—a time to raise awareness towards improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities and reducing health disparities. At CRIS, refugee and immigrant health and wellness has been a central part of our work for many years, and our services continue to expand in order to meet the needs of those we serve.
Mental health in particular has become an increasingly urgent need over the past year, shaped by uncertainty, shifting policies, and the realities of navigating daily life in an often unpredictable environment. Our Community Connectors (youth mentorship) program and Wellness Clinic have been on the front lines of this shift.
Helping Refugee & Immigrant Youth Navigate a Changing World
Last year, 143 refugee and immigrant youth were paired with 111 volunteer mentors through CRIS’ Community Connectors (CC) Program. The CC staff served an additional 300 students through in-school and after-school activities and programming. Through their work, it has become evident that these youth are having to navigate a changing world.
“The questions students are asking have changed,” shares Program Manager Jeremy Hollon. “Where mentors once helped with schoolwork or finding a job, now students are asking for help finding food, understanding their immigration status, or coping with the fear that affects their daily lives.”
Jeremy explains that mentors have stepped up in extraordinary ways, providing not just academic support, but also social-emotional guidance, stability, and encouragement during a time when many young people need it most.
Students and their families have expressed fear around everyday activities like going to school or grocery shopping, and some students in the program have experienced the trauma of parental detention. The mental health impact is real.
To help address these needs, Community Connectors recently received a Minority Health grant to expand their services–and even welcome a former mentee onto staff (read Nira’s staff spotlight here)! Despite a range of funding pathways to continue and expand services, some of the larger state-funded programs could end this summer, which poses a very real threat to sustained funding for programming.
In the midst of so much uncertainty, Jeremy points to the resilience of the youth as a source of hope. He shares, “Without a doubt our students give me hope. They are all incredible, resilient, strong individuals that I learn from everyday and the absolute privilege to be able to get to know them, their families and be a small part of their lives.”
Culturally-Responsive Care for the Whole Family
Since the launch of the CRIS Wellness Clinic last year, this team has been dedicated to meeting the unique mental health challenges of those CRIS serves. This work has included assessing 255 individuals for mental health needs, providing internal mental health services to 46 individuals, and coordinating external mental health services for an additional 30 individuals. Throughout this year of service, it has been clear that Refugees and immigrants are experiencing unprecedented isolation, distress, and fear.
Kyri Shaffer, CRIS Refugee Health & Wellness Clinical Lead, has guided the clinic team through its launch and first year, and she has also helped to launch a community-based consortium of culturally competent mental health providers called the Refugee and Immigrant Mental Health Coalition of Ohio (RIMHCO). Later this month (April), RIMHCO is hosting its annual Refugee and Immigrant Mental Health Training, a free event for professionals, educators, and refugee/immigrant-serving organizations.
Get involved:
There are several upcoming opportunities to get involved in this work:
Attend the Community Connectors Art Show (opening April 10 at Wild Goose Creative)
Look out for the release of this year’s youth cookbook
Consider sponsoring or participating in Community Connectors’ annual summer soccer tournament “The Columbus Nations Cup” on July 25 (email Jeremy at jhollon@cris-ohio.org for more information)
Register to attend the RIMHCO training on April 23rd