We are CERI

Mission

CERI cultivates the healing, advocacy, and empowerment of refugee and immigrant communities affected by war, torture, genocide, and other life-altering traumas, weaving together their intergenerational resilience into a holistic model of community mental health care.

History

CERI was founded in 2006 by members of the Cambodian community and Dr. Mona Afary to serve survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide living with PTSD. Although having lived in the Bay Area for 20 years, these survivors had never received access to basic trauma-informed care or intentionally dedicated and culturally grounded social services, complete with interpretation and translation. 

Working with this underserved and forgotten refugee population inspired CERI’s gradual expansion into a prevention and early intervention service center for Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees, specializing in providing mental health and social services, training, education and activities. 

For 17 years, our community-based mental health and holistic wellness model has successfully served thousands of children, adults and elders. Today, we engage 1200+ diverse refugees and immigrants annually, including Cambodian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Afghan, Tibetan, Nepali, Indian, Rwandan, Filipinx, Iranian and Latinx communities.