The CIRH Collaborative
Strengthening California’s immigrant and refugee support infrastructure in an unprecedented moment
Immigrant and refugee children, families, and communities across California are facing rising fear, instability, and barriers to care, education, and essential support. This moment requires more than fragmented responses. It requires stronger coordination, trusted infrastructure, and practical action.
What is the CIRH Collaborative?
The CIRH Collaborative is the next phase of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health’s statewide work.
The Collaborative builds on CIRH’s proven leadership and the trusted network we have already built across California to strengthen support for immigrant and refugee communities in a rapidly changing environment.
It strengthens and connects the statewide relationships, systems, and support infrastructure that immigrant and refugee children and families rely on.
It draws on CIRH’s longstanding partnerships with community-based organizations, schools, resettlement partners, public agencies, universities, and other local leaders across the state. The goal is to make that network more connected, more responsive, and better equipped to meet this moment.
Graphic Recordings of CIRH's 2025 Conference Pathways to Success
Graphic Recordings of CIRH's 2025 Conference Pathways to Success
Graphic Recordings of CIRH's 2025 Conference Pathways to Success
Graphic Recordings of CIRH's 2025 Conference Pathways to Success
Graphic Recordings of CIRH's 2025 Conference Pathways to Success
Why It Matters Now
For many families, especially refugees, asylum seekers, newcomers, and mixed-status households, today’s climate is not abstract. It affects whether people feel safe seeking care, sending children to school, accessing services, or turning to trusted institutions for help.
This is a moment for stronger alignment, deeper support, and sustained investment in what communities already trust.
What Will the Collaborative Do?
The Collaborative:
Convenes stakeholders to identify urgent challenges and shape practical action
Strengthens coordination across sectors so health, education, family support, legal, and community-based partners can work together more effectively
Leverages CIRH and partners’ resources so families and frontline partners have stronger access to trusted information and support
Supports a cross-sector expert network with medical, social service, legal, and policy expertise
Lifts community voice through listening, story gathering, and narrative-building grounded in lived experience
Why CIRH
CIRH is uniquely positioned to lead this work. Based at the Public Health Institute, CIRH combines deep community trust with the fiscal, administrative, and operational strength needed to manage complex statewide efforts and multi-partner collaborations.
Our work is grounded in practical implementation, cultural responsiveness, trusted partnership, and lived understanding.
