Community collaboration breaks down health care barriers

In the past decade, Sacramento emerged as a leading destination for Afghan refugees. Upon arrival, the language barrier proved difficult in acquiring quality health care. Directors at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services’ Refugee Resettlement Services connected with master’s-degree leadership students to tackle the challenge.

This collaboration is the result of the Community Connections instructor coursework that all first-year leadership students take. They partner to address a systems-level issue of the organization, which forces the nurses out of their comfort zone and shows them the bigger picture of health care.

The students researched different health systems’ practice of hiring interpreters. The endeavor resulted in a new opportunity for Atefa Hakimi, who left Afghanistan as a medical student and today serves as a medical interpreter and licensed vocational nurse.

“I love the idea of the University of California showing up in the community in ways that are relevant and dictated by the community,” says Jann Murray-García, assistant clinical professor and Community Connections instructor.