Continuing our “EMM at Work” series, we turn now to Casey VanHattum, Senior Program Officer for Preferred Communities (PC) programs. Casey has worked in refugee resettlement for four years and with EMM since November 2022. Casey and her colleague Candace Linn, along with their team, provide oversight for PC programs and services throughout EMM’s network.
As outlined in the previous segment of this series, Preferred Communities programs provide services for especially vulnerable refugees who need support beyond what is offered by the initial 90-day Reception and Placement program and/or the 240-day Matching Grant program. By providing intensive case management and support for clients facing specific barriers to integration, PC programs help clients continue to take steps towards the long-term goal of self-sufficiency.
In this short video, Casey offers a deeper dive into PC programs. She describes the populations they serve, and identifies factors that can make it difficult for newcomers to adapt quickly to life in the U.S. These include age, disability, medical needs, or caregiving responsibilities for highly vulnerable dependents. For these and other reasons, some clients need more time and support, as they learn to navigate public transportation, medical care, social benefits, and an unfamiliar language and culture.
In addition, due to the conditions that people forced to flee their homes have endured (often for years), they may arrive in their new communities with trauma or other significant mental health needs. Casey addresses the importance of trauma and explains why it may linger long after someone has reached a situation of relative “safety.”
Casey and her colleagues monitor the implementation of PC programs and services across the EMM network and provide training and technical assistance to the staff who work directly with clients. As Casey emphasizes, they use approaches that are trauma-informed, centered on clients’ strengths and needs, and attuned to clients’ and communities’ cultural frameworks.
Casey is quick to identify people’s strengths and accomplishments, recognizing the unique challenges they face. She is deeply inspired by the professionalism and compassion demonstrated by service providers across EMM’s network and by the resiliency of the individuals they serve. Her ability to empathize and connect with others fosters a positive and inclusive environment, making her an invaluable asset to our team. Casey’s dedication and heartfelt commitment not only reflect the core values of EMM but also inspire those around her to strive for excellence.
Refugee resettlement is at its heart a community-building venture that depends on all of us. As Casey puts it, “Welcoming refugees is America at its best!” For when we extend kindness to our newest neighbors, giving them the support they need to feel at home in a new place, we deepen and enrich the social fabric that is vital for all of us.
Along with Casey, Candace and the entire PC team, we invite you to join EMM in building communities where everyone is welcomed and can thrive.
