Addiction in Immigrant Communities

Developing health information infrastructures with community health workers

Community Health Workers (CHW’s) in Kentucky help acclimate newly arrived refugees to the US healthcare infrastructure and ensure that their healthcare needs are taken care of. In doing this work CHW’s are involved in translating healthcare information, helping refugees with their transportation needs, building the health literacy of the refugee families and of others in their community and offering other services that are not always specified in the job description. The current workflow requires CHW’s to enter information about the services they provide into the system once they reach their office, which could be a few hours or days after they have offered the service. The CHW’s I have spoken with have expressed interest in having access to a mobile application they can use to enter such information into the system. Having an accurate account of the different services offered and time spent on them will not only help the CHW’s manage their work better but can also help them present their work to relevant stakeholders and request additional funding or policy changes. The goal in this project is to use participatory design-based research methods to design a mobile application that the CHW’s can use to account for the services they offer in the field.

Publications

Firaz Peer. “Resettlement Work: Accounting for the Invisible Work of Refugee Community Health Workers”. Proceedings of the Participatory Design Conference (PDC) 2026.

Substance Use in American Muslim Communities

American Muslims experience substance use and behavioral addictions at rates similar to the general U.S. population, but they often have far fewer treatment options that reflect their cultural and religious needs. Because Islam prohibits substance use, stigma plays a powerful role in discouraging people from seeking help. Many families don’t know where to turn, and those who do may hesitate because of the shame associated with addiction.

In our work with Muslim communities, we’ve seen how substance use is often tied to other mental health struggles, which means recovery requires a more holistic approach. Yet resources designed with this in mind are scarce. Despite being made up of immigrants, refugees, and undocumented individuals who face unique challenges, American Muslims remain overlooked in both research and service provision. Without a shift in how we respond, there is a real risk of losing future generations to this crisis.

To begin addressing these gaps, we organized online workshops with addiction specialists and people who have lived through recovery. Together, we developed a “recovery playbook” tailored specifically for Muslims. The playbook adapts the familiar 12-step model, blending clinical best practices with guidance drawn from Islamic principles. It was created through a collaborative, iterative process and is now available in English and Arabic, with more translations on the way.

This work is about building recovery systems that respect culture, faith, and lived experience. By centering these values, we can create support that meets people’s immediate needs while also helping communities build healthier and more just futures.

Publications

Firaz Peer, Aiyub Palmer. Large Language Models in Addiction Recovery: Promise, Limitations, and Ethical Considerations in Muslim Contexts. (under review).

Peer, Firaz. Health by Design: Substance Use and the Politics of Recovery in American Muslim Communities (under review).

Peer, Firaz. Centering Religion and Culture: A Neo-Ecological Framework for Addiction Recovery Among Religious Minorities (under review).

Peer, Firaz. Unmet Needs, Untapped Wisdom: American Muslim Perspectives on Faith- Based Addiction Recovery Resources (under review).

Peer, Firaz, and Shamin Shoomali. "Designing a recovery playbook for Muslim Americans experiencing substance use disorders." (2024).