November - Refugee Health & Wellness

Head of CRIS's Health & Wellness program, Cat Gossman (cgossman@cris-ohio.org).

CRIS’ Health and Wellness program was developed to provide “intensive case management to particularly vulnerable refugees,” says Cat Gossman. The program provides an assessment of mental and physical need and staff help clients to create a personalized goal designed to help the client ultimately achieve self-sufficiency in the community.Like other CRIS programs, Health and Wellness has certainly been impacted by reductions in refugee admissions but continues to be creative in our efforts to help refugees already here, such as the initiation of an Afghan Women’s Support Group. Cat continues to be motivated by overcoming roadblocks, bureaucratic obstacles that often create difficult conditions for clients to access disability services, obtain healthcare coverage, or secure medical supplies. Cat and staff work to resolve many frustrating obstacles and continue to be motivated to assure those we serve have access to services and achieve better health and wellness.