Refugee Health Alliance

DOCTORS RESPOND

Volunteer Opportunity with Refugee Health Alliance

 in Tijuana, Mexico

Refugee Health Alliance has been serving migrants and other vulnerable patient populations at the U.S.-Mexico Border since 2018. It currently assists in the provision of medical care for more than 30 shelters, and at RHA’s two clinics in the center of Tijuana: Resistencia en Salud and Justicia en Salud.

RHA’s mission is to serve vulnerable and marginalized people, including families, children, pregnant women and LGBTQ individuals, who have been displaced, deported from the United States, and/or politically and socially excluded. Many are refugees and asylum seekers fleeing structural and non-structural violence.

The organization employs a holistic approach to healthcare. In addition to medical providers, they also are looking for volunteers in the fields of acupuncture, herbal medicine, and mental health, as well as translators. For more information about Refugee Health Alliance, visit www.refugeehealthalliance.org.

For in-person volunteers, RHA asks that they be vaccinated and registered. Registered volunteers will receive a confirmation email with a date and meet-up information 1-2 weeks prior to trip date. 

Unregistered volunteers will be turned away secondary to COVID19 safety and licensure concerns.

Saturday Shelter Volunteer

RHA needs volunteers to help on Saturdays to be able to increase shelter outreach to more shelters and to increase its frequency from bi-weekly visits to every Saturday. Over the course of a full weekend, RHA is able to visit four shelter sites and provided care to 300-400 patients.  Come join the RHA as a volunteer in Tijuana! They have regular volunteer opportunities at the San Ysidro Border Crossing. They meet at the following address at 8 a.m.: 4463 Camino De La Plaza #111, San Ysidro, CA 92173.

To volunteer, click here.

Other volunteer opportunities

Below are opportunities for individuals who want to volunteer for more time than a Saturday shelter outreach trip.

On the Ground Provider 

(psychotherapists, physical therapists, midwife, acupuncturist, and child care/education support)

Requirements

• Must be proficient in Spanish or bring/hire own translator

• Must be willing to help with non-clinical needs of the clinic if needed

To volunteer, click here.

On the Ground Resistencia General 

Requirements:

• Must be able to provide their own housing and transportation. Subsidized housing may be available for those in financial need. Please indicate in the “Additional Notes” section of your application if you would like to apply. Must be proficient in Spanish or bring/hire own translator.

Responsibilities

• Triaging (must be proficient in Spanish), organizing donations, running errands (such as buying supplies), ultimately helping wherever is needed

• If you are an MS4 and would like to help see patients, please indicate that in the “Additional Notes” section of your application.

To volunteer, click here.

On the Ground Provider Nurse 

Requirements:

• Must be proficient in Spanish or bring/hire own translator

• Must be willing to help with non-clinical needs of the clinic if needed

To volunteer, click here.

There are also remote volunteer opportunities available at this time, including fundraising as well as assisting RHA’s mental health team in a number of ways, and translation.

Remote Mental Health Services

Provide psychosocial skills and support to individual migrants remotely or psychiatry in consultation with on the ground health providers support (BIG NEED given lack of psychiatrists across Mexico).  Occasionally, there are also opportunities to help with other remote mental health projects.

To volunteer, click here.

Administrative duties/translation and other remote opportunities

RHA can especially use help with administrative duties, covering our medical call line, developing curriculum, and numerous other tasks.

To volunteer for this and other remote volunteer opportunities, including translation, click here.

Application Deadline

Applications for any of the volunteer opportunities can be submitted at any time. If there is a need for volunteers, applicants will be notified by email for an interview. Please note that due to the pandemic, RHA is limiting the number of volunteers they can have at one time.

Licensure and Medical Malpractice Insurance

Volunteer physicians will practice under the license of a local Mexican physician, who signs off on all care provided by volunteers.

Volunteers providers are asked to provide a copy of their medical license for the organization’s records.

Housing

The majority of the volunteers for weekday shifts stay in Tijuana for the week. The organization can provide information about stays, including neighborhood and safety issues.