Assessment of Needs
Case Management Services
Referrals for Victims of Domestic Violence
Space for Community Dialogue and Meetings
Education and Outreach in the Areas of Social Services and Health Related Issues
Cultural Orientation and Activities
Supportive Counseling
Interpreting and Translating
Legal Assistance and Referrals
Tutoring for High School Students
ECSHI (Ethnic Community Self Help Initiative)
ESHI, fully funded by ORI, is a program designed to help refugees assimilate to their new surrounding by removing barriers to their integration and cross-cultural understanding. ESHI services provide assistance in filling out applications, understanding bills, letters and notices, as well as providing escorts for medical and other important appointments.
Post Resettlement Community Service Program
This program allows BCCRD, Inc. to provide case management services for new arrivals up to 5 years upon entrance into the United States. This program is also a link with Voluntary Agencies in the area who are crucial in the process of resettlement.
It offers assistance with concrete services—housing, SSI, DTA, school links, health care needs, etc.
Preventive Health Program
BCCRD, Inc., as a member of Massachusetts Assistance Association (MAA) Coalition, has received a grant from Office Of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI) to provide services in the area of preventive health education to the Bosnian Community in and around Lynn. Our agency has committed itself to establish on-going assistance to clients as they navigate the health care system and helps them overcome barriers in access to quality health care.
Our team helps clients register for health insurance and make medical appointments. An outreach worker is available to escort clients to health centers, SSA offices and serves as their advocate and liaison to community health centers.
At BCCRD, Inc. we utilize Community forums to distribute translated brochures and fliers full of practical and useful information. We host interactive workshops in collaboration with experts from various health fields.
Some of our past community forums have covered the following topics:
Women’s health
Family planning
Children’s health
Immunizations
Substance Abuse
HIV/AIDS and STD risk reduction
Domestic Violence
MASS Health
This Program started in November 2004. BCCRD, Inc. provides bilingual and bicultural assistance to our clients for addressing needs in medical, legal or educational settings.
We will create brochures and flyers in native language about issues which will help our members better understand the system in their new country. In addition to Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian, we offer Albanian and Arabic interpreting and translating.
United States citizenship
The U.S. Constitution invites newcomers to participate in the democratic process.
BCCRD’s citizenship program responds to a continuing demand for citizenship services in the North Shore and the greater Boston area, and the particular needs of refugees who will be reaching seven years in the U.S. and are vulnerable to the loss SSI benefits.
Services:
- Reach and contact possible clients eligible for citizenship
- Complete and file citizenship application
- Provide translation and interpretation as part of filing process
- Follow up on pending cases in a timely manner
- Track all cases and maintain complete and accurate records and reports
Volunteer Program
BCCRD, Inc. has a group of dedicated volunteers. Our goal is to provide high school graduates and college students from our community with a place where they can learn about and practice the delivery of services to refugee groups.
Our Heritage program helps members sustain ties to Bosnian culture. It consists of KUD “Boston Sevdah” and “Izvor.”
- KUD “Boston Sevdah”: folk dancing and music group that has over eighty active members who through dance and singing nourish the values of their homeland. Within KUD we have developed a music group “Meraklije” with 6-8 permanent members who play traditional Bosnian music “Sevdalinka.”
KUD”Boston Sevdah” has performed in traditional EID celebrations for the community, at B, Balkan Nights festival and Lynn International Culture Day. KUD had a very well received performance at Cambridge Community Center which was a result of our collaboration with AIC.
- “Izvor”: quarterly bilingual newsletter that serves as a psycho-educational tool for our community as well as other similar ethnic groups from the Balkans, and provides an opportunity for small business to advertise for the larger community.
Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP)
This Program is a result of our leadership role within MAA Coalition in collaborating with major Mental Health Service Providers in Massachusetts. This program provides case management services to people in need of in-depth socially and culturally sensitive services.