IRC Survivor of Torture Program
The IRC in Tucson offers comprehensive, culturally competent case management and counseling services to clients who fit the federal criteria for Survivors of Torture as well as secondary survivors (i.e., family members). These services may be both traditional and nontraditional in areas of health/medical, psychological/psychiatric, social, and legal services.
Medical access – Primary Care Provider and specialists
Psychological support – therapy, medication
Social services – can include housing, public benefits, employment assistance etc.
Legal services– lawyers or other legal needs
Through this work, survivors restore their health and dignity as they reunite with family, rebuild their lives, and integrate into their new communities.
IRC AZ Survivors of Torture Program is a member of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs. We collaborate with them as the medical partner.
Visit International Rescue Committee site
Advanced Care Planning in Refugee Patients
Advanced Care Planning in Refugees-Advance care planning (ACP) for end-of-life care is an important part of medical care, but fewer than half of older adults in the US have completed ACP documents. Among some population groups, notably African Americans and American Indian/Alaska Natives, rates are even lower. However, there are no published data on the rate of ACP among refugees resettled in the US, so we interviewed 28 refugee patients from 12 different countries of origin who were receiving care in a primary care clinic.
McKeith A, Aldulaimi S, Rivers P, Weiss BD. Advanced Care Planning in Refugee Patients. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2025 Jun 5:10499091251348463. doi: 10.1177/10499091251348463. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40471039.
Latent TB in Newly Arrived Refugees
Latent TB in Newly Arrived Refugees-Assessing rates of latent TB in newly arrived refugees prior to arrival and upon arrival.
Elevating Refugee Perspectives about Access to Disability Services in Arizona
Disability-The current project, Elevating Refugee Perspectives about Access to Disability Services in Arizona, highlights areas where and how Arizona may improve access to disability services for the diverse populations of refugees in the state. There are more projects that are coming from the report.
Resident Projects
Several residents are conducting QI projects on refugee topics including a current project on barriers to cervical cancer screening in refugee patients. This project builds on a past project looking at cervical cancer screening rates in refugee patients which won best project for the resident scholarly day.