The Refugee Advisory Council helps ensure the coordination of services for refugees and immigrants and raises awareness of issues that affect refugee and immigrant communities throughout Washington state.
The purpose of the RAC is to:
• Convey local or regional concerns to DSHS and other state agencies.
• Prioritize refugee-related issues and concerns.
• Provide statewide planning, guidance and recommendations on policies, programs, funding and service delivery for refugees and immigrants.
• Provide information and interpretation of state policies, programs and funding to refugee and immigrant communities.
The RAC’s voting members include representatives from each DSHS region of the state. Click here for the list of current Refugee Advisory Council members.
The purpose of the RAC is to:
• Convey local or regional concerns to DSHS and other state agencies.
• Prioritize refugee-related issues and concerns.
• Provide statewide planning, guidance and recommendations on policies, programs, funding and service delivery for refugees and immigrants.
• Provide information and interpretation of state policies, programs and funding to refugee and immigrant communities.
The RAC’s voting members include representatives from each DSHS region of the state. Click here for the list of current Refugee Advisory Council members.
Upcoming Quarterly Public Forums
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Statewide Refugee Advisory Council Virtual Public Forum
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Past Quarterly Public Forums
Statewide Refugee Advisory Council Virtual Public Forum, January 29
Impact of Federal Immigration Policy Changes on Refugees and Immigrants
- The agenda included
- WA State Refugee Assistance Updates
- Sarah Peterson, State Refugee Coordinator, Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, Department of Social and Health Services
- Refugee Health Updates
- Jasmine Matheson, State Refugee Health Coordinator, WA State Department of Health
- Impact of Federal Immigration Policy Changes on Refugees and Immigrants
- Malou Chavez, Executive Director, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWRIP)
- Chach Duarte White, Director of Legal Services, Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC)
- Beth Farmer, Senior Director - Safety, Health & Education Technical Unit, Resettlement, Asylum and Integration, International Rescue Committee
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County Local Updates by Refugee Advisory Council
- For the PowerPoint presentations, materials and resources click here.
September 25, Virtual Public Forum: Impact of Federal Changes on Apple Health for Refugees and Immigrants by Health Care Authority
- The agenda included
- WA State Refugee Assistance Updates
- Sarah Peterson, State Refugee Coordinator, Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, Department of Social and Health Services
- Impact of Federal Changes on Apple Health for Refugees and Immigrants
- Dr. Charissa Fotinos, State Medicaid and Behavioral Health Medical Director at the Health Care Authority.
- Refugee Health Promotion Programs (RHP)
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- Jasmine Matheson, State Refugee Health Coordinator, WA State Department of Health
- County Local Updates
- For the PowerPoint presentations, materials and resources click here.
May 29, Virtual Public Forum: REAL ID - Updates from the WA Dept. of Licensing and Immigration Policy Changes by Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
- The agenda included
- WA State Refugee Assistance Updates
- Sarah Peterson, State Refugee Coordinator, Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, Department of Social and Health Services
- REAL ID Updates
- Alejandro Sanchez, Deputy Director, WA State Department of Licensing
- Immigration Policy Changes
- Malou Chávez, Executive Director, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project "NWIRP"
- County Local Updates
- For the PowerPoint presentations, materials and resources click here.
February 18, Virtual Public Forum: How changes in immigration policy will impact our local communities
and what we can do to support them?
- The agenda included
- WA State Refugee Assistance Updates
- Sarah Peterson, State Refugee Coordinator, Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, Department of Social and Health Services
- Panel Discussion: How changes in immigration policy will impact our local communities
- Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director, Council on American Islamic Relations, Washington State Chapter “CAIR WA”
- Brenda Rodríguez López, Executive Director, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network “WAISN”
- Soumyo Lahiri-Gupta, Immigration Advocacy Manager, One America and what we can do to support them?
- County Local Updates
- For the PowerPoint presentations, materials and resources click here.
Additional Advisory Groups
The following local Washington groups also provide feedback and guidance to DSHS on program planning for refugees and immigrants:
- Tri-County Refugee Planning Committee (King, Pierce and Snohomish County)
- Refugee Forum (Renton)
- Refugee Housing Task Force (King County)
- Refugee Service Providers Committee (Spokane)
- Refugee Community Forum (Vancouver)
- Service Provider Meeting (Richland)