Switchboard provides tools, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance covering a range of topics related to the newcomer experience.
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Confused about how new policy changes affect newcomer health coverage? Use this blog post to identify alternative services and supports that newcomers may still qualify for. Accessing health care in the United States can be complicated, especially for newcomers. Health coverage helps pay for medical care, prescriptions, and other health-related costs. Historically, most ORR-eligible newcomers […]
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Supporting unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) often involves helping foster parents navigate disagreements around household expectations, school requirements, and increasing independence. For refugee foster parents, these conversations are further shaped by cultural differences as refugee youth adapt to life in a new country. Though some foster parents may share aspects of a refugee youth’s cultural background […]
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Hosted on July 29th, 2026, the training was delivered by Jasmine Griffin, MA, LPC, Training Officer, Switchboard, and Kristen L. Guskovict, MS, LCSW, Independent Consultant Webinar Overview People resettling to the United States often face grief and loss at multiple points along their journey. In the most serious cases, this includes the death of loved […]
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Digital technologies are reshaping how refugee services are organized and delivered across the United States. Service providers are increasingly working in hybrid arrangements, engaging clients through virtual platforms, and beginning to explore artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their daily practice. These shifts offer new opportunities to extend reach and improve efficiency, while raising critical questions […]
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The Program of Initial Resettlement (PIR) involves many post-arrival activities to support newcomers’ early integration in the U.S. Use this tip sheet to identify resources to begin in your work.
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This guide outlines key RCA rules, distinguishing which aspects are fixed by federal regulation and which areas allow state-level flexibility. This information is intended as a comprehensive reference for understanding where states can shape their RCA programs and where they must comply with uniform federal requirements. The guide covers critical topics including eligibility time limits, […]
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The people who power refugee resettlement in the United States are deeply committed to their work, but what do their days actually look like, and how is the workforce holding up? Switchboard’s Annual Survey of Refugee Service Providers (ASRSP) seeks to fill this gap in our collective knowledge about those who work to support newcomers […]
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The Program of Initial Resettlement (PIR) requires resettlement providers to do several activities before a client arrives. Use this tip sheet to identify resources to support your pre-arrival work.
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Use this at-a-glance timeline to track every required service and deadline throughout a client’s Program of Initial Resettlement (PIR) service period. This handy reference is organized by milestone so you can quickly confirm what’s due and when, from pre-arrival housing prep through case closure. There’s a dedicated section on separated refugee children and minors to […]
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Hosted on July 15th, 2026, the training was delivered by Claire Hopkins, Training Officer, Switchboard, and Jasmine Griffin, MA, LPC, Training Officer, Switchboard Roundtable Overview Refugee and newcomer students experience high rates of bullying and may not understand how to effectively manage these situations, which could lead to social isolation, stress, and even behavior shifts where […]
