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Isok Kim

Associate Professor of Social Work
University at Buffalo School of Social Work

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Mental health and wellbeing among Asian Americans; refugee-related trauma; post-resettlement challenges; culturally responsive mental health services

Portrait of Isok Kim, University at Buffalo mental health and refugee-related trauma expert.

Isok Kim can speak to the media about topics relating to mental health and wellbeing among Asian Americans, particularly within immigrant and refugee populations. He is a researcher, educator and licensed clinical social worker.

Kim’s research seeks to address the needs of the Asian American community, specifically Southeast Asians. His work includes developing community-based research with Burmese/Karen refugees in Buffalo, and he is interested in the creation of programs that respond to the mental health issues of refugees and their trauma experiences.

Kim has led or contributed to studies on a range of issues, including trauma, post-migration stress, the impact of discrimination on mental health, and the use of health care and mental health services.

Prior to his career in academia, Kim served Asian Counseling and Referral Service in Seattle, Washington as a mental health clinical case manager in the adult mental Health Program and a chemical dependency professional in the substance abuse treatment program. He also worked as a mental health therapist for the Monsignor Carr Institute in Buffalo, providing mental health care for primarily home-bound clients.