Community Partnerships and Engagement
Involve the people you serve
Refugees, immigrants and migrants have made important contributions to communities in the U.S. and internationally, and they have shown remarkable strength and resilience. Involving the communities you serve in your planning and decision-making practices will only enhance the services you offer. Members of any community know best how to communicate with their peers, which is why we advocate for community involvement as a central element to any public health response.
Featured Resources
Creating a Community Advisory Board
Community advisory boards (CABs) are comprised of community members of who serve as equal partners to those in the healthcare or public health system. CAB members bridge cultural differences and increase trust by assisting with project planning, prioritizing, and implementing activities; vetting educational or other resources; and communicating with community members.
Learn how you can get started with a CAB in your community:
Checklists and Guides
Tips for Health Departments: Identifying Community Partners
Effective outreach among refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities requires relationships with communities. There may be some difficulty in knowing where to start when building or strengthening relationships with a community. This resource provides tips for identifying partners who can help reach RIM communities.
Outreach to Faith-Based Organizations
Faith-based organizations provide social and spiritual connections and play a critical role in providing and supporting social services within communities. Read these tips on how to connect and collaborate with faith-based organizations.
Guide: Supporting and Co-Creating Meaningful Community Advisory Boards
If your organization decides a Community Advisory Board (CAB) would be helpful in doing more community-grounded work, there is a lot to think through in advance of seating the board. It is critical to start the process by putting in some effort on strategic planning with regards to a CAB.
Checklist: Social Support Services for RIM Communities
Collaborating and partnering with local social support and community-based organizations enhances a health department’s ability to provide culturally and linguistically resources and supports RIM communities to adhere to public health guidance, including guidance relevant to CICT. Consider the following actions for health departments when organizing social service support among RIM communities.
Guide: Conducting Focus Groups with RIM Communities
Exchanging information and ensuring access to health and safety information is critical for communities. Select this promising practice to learn more about conducting focus groups in RIM communities.
Checklist: Co-Creating Public Health Guidance with RIM Community Partners
This checklist identifies the steps to co-create culturally impactful and specific public health guidance working directly with community members.