We are excited to share some success stories of our families who benefited from the Mind, Body, and Culture (MBC) program, which is specifically designed to support children and families in King County’s East African community. The program integrates mental health and Trauma-informed practices into our existing home visiting services with a focus on pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers. By connecting Mind, Body, and Culture, the program aims to change community attitudes toward mental health.

The MBC is the first of its kind, and its dual Somali-English aspect has been able to bridge the gap for families who may have experienced mental health, education, economic, social/emotional health, and well-being disparities. The MBC home visitors work with parents and caregiver’s biweekly to cover diverse topics that are crucial for the heathy development of their children and the well-being of the family. The program currently supports 60 families and their children.

What sets the MBC apart from other home visiting programs is its emphasis on relationship building. Instead of jumping straight into discussion issues, home visitors focus on building trust and confidence with the families. They convict one-two hour sessions to learn about the family’s assets, strengths, languages, and culture as a unit.

One of our Family members that has received help from the program is Jamila Ali and her daughter. Jamilah had been struggling to ask for help, but with the support of her home visitor, Sahra Abdullahi, she was able to overcome her fears. Sahra reminded her that whoever she asked for help was likely the person who would help her. This advice has stayed with Jamilah ever since, and she feels much more confident about reaching out for support. When she ran out of her daughter’s thyroid medication and she did not have any money, she turned to Sahra for help. Sahra supported her in getting an appointment the next day and provided emotional support throughout the process. Thanks to the dual language aspect of this program, Jamilah was able to express her concerns to Sahra in Somali, and Sahra was able to understand and help her.

Through the program, Jamilah has learned the importance of self-care and goals. She has learned to celebrate herself, appreciate her journey, and plan for tomorrow. Jamilah says, “there are a lot of moms struggling who don’t know where to begin or how to ask for help, like me.” She continues to say that “programs like this help moms figure out where to start in their goal, you have someone you can call to help connect you to resources you might not have known existed.”

Goal setting is a core aspect of the MBC program, and it allows the client to break down their main goals into what they want to do and what they need to do. For Jamilah, her main goal was to further her education while being able to take care of her daughter. Sahra worked with her to complete the FAFSA application and find a school that fits her lifestyle and needs. Jamila is now enrolled in Highline College and plans to major in business to open her own store. Jamilah was able to visualize her goals with the home visitor and create a feasible plan to achieve them. She says that she finally sees the progress she has made since starting the program.

The MBC program has been able to support families like Jamilah’s in a holistic way by addressing their mental, physical, and emotional health needs. By providing personalized support, the program has helped families overcome barriers and achieve their goals. It is clear that programs like MBC are essential to East African children and families residing in King County.