Supporting Immigrants Mental Health & Wellness in these Times Presented by: Cathi Tillman, LSW Corinne Guest, LSW
La Puerta Abierta/The Open Door (LPA) works to ensure access to holistic, culturally and trauma-informed mental health support in the immigrant and refugee community through education, collaboration and pro bono services. We primarily serve Latin@ immigrant individuals and families who are Spanish-speaking and undocumented and/or uninsured.
Objectives Review common migration-related stressors and mental health challenges Recognize impact of current administration s policies and practices on immigrant community members mental health Identify ways you can support immigrant community members mental health and wellness
Common Migration-Related Stressors
Migration Triple Trauma (Michultka, 2009) 1. Pre-migration (in country of origin) -> Ex. Family/community violence, escalating gang cartel violence, extreme poverty, family reunification 2. During migration journey -> Ex. Violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, exhaustion and exposure 3. Post-migration (after arrival in US) -> Ex. Poverty, community violence, workplace exploitation, discrimination, fear of deportation, day-to-day challenges of surviving as an immigrant
Trauma PTSD, anxiety and depression Hypervigilance Emotional dysregulation Intrusive memories, flashbacks, triggers Physical symptoms, including somatic complaints, sleep disturbances and chronic illness Beliefs about self, the world and the future Self-medication via substance use, high-risk behaviors
Family Separation/Reunification & Ambiguous Loss Loss that occurs without closure or understanding (Boss, 2000) As when a family member(s) is physically or psychologically absent Heightened anxiety/worry/sadness about absent person Interruption of daily routines, roles, and interactions that previously defined the family
Acculturation Process of integration of culture of origin with new culture -> Language, values, customs, ethnic identity, etc. Loss of place, support systems, foods, etc. Intergenerational challenges, including conflict around shifting parent/child roles
Current Anti-Immigrant Attitudes, Policies & Practices
Enforcement Terror Post-immigration fear due to rising levels of surveillance, racial profiling, and enforcement compound potential traumatic exposure for Latin@ immigrants (Levers and Hyatt-Burkhart, 2012) Daily fear of arrest, detention, deportation and family separation Contributes to fear, anxiety, depression, feelings of social isolation
Family Separation at Border* Parent-child separation is toxic stressor Changes body s stress response, brain functioning, and disrupts cognitive and affective processes Young children, adolescents are especially vulnerable Effects of toxic stress are cumulative Increased risk for physical and mental health issues Attachment issues (Bouza et al., 2018) *Reminder: Family separation via forced migration, detention and deportation has been ongoing and is not specific to the border or Trump s policies
Detention & Deportation Increase in detention of younger immigrant community members Prolonged detention Inadequate health and mental health care Fear of deportation to dangerous circumstances Increased hopelessness and suicidality
DACA Uncertainty Increased anxiety and depression Difficulty imagining/planning for future Self-esteem and identity struggles (ni de aquí, ni de allá) Survivors guilt, feelings of responsibility for supporting family Stress of family members being pitted against one another
Mitigating Factors Strong social and family networks Quality of relationships/type of attachment with caregivers and others Type, quality and frequency of contact with separated family members Access to safety, community, and healing
Strengths Resilience, tenacity, courage and hope Spirituality, sense of purpose Family, culture and community Highly tuned problem-solving skills Flexibility navigating adverse circumstances and diverse contexts
Barriers to Care Lack of access to health insurance or resources to pay for private services in US Lack of language access and culturally responsive providers/services in US Increasing fear of exposure to immigration enforcement through US helper systems
What You Can Do Arm yourself with accurate information about the challenges facing immigrant community members & correct misinformation when you hear it Create welcoming environments for immigrant community members in the spaces you inhabit Keep advocating for policy change, including access to medical and mental health care for all Practice self-care so you can care for others Support LPA s work by donating here!
Resources Boss, P. (2000). Ambiguous Loss: Learning to live with unresolved grief. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Bouza, J., Camacho-Thompson, D. E., Carlo, G., Franco, X., Garcia Coll, C., Halgunseth, L. C., White, R. M. B. (June 2018). The Science is Clear: Separating Families has Long-term Damaging Psychological and Health Consequences for Children, Families, and Communities. Society for Research in Child Development. Retrieved from https://www.srcd.org/policy-media/statements-evidence/ separating-families Levers, L. L., & Hyatt Burkhart, D. (2012). Immigration reform and the potential for psychosocial trauma: The missing link of lived human experience. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 12(1), 68-77. Michultka, D. (2009). Mental health issues in new immigrant communities. In F. Chang-Muy & E. Congress (Eds.), Social Work with Immigrants and Refugees: Legal Issues, Clinical Skills and Advocacy (pp. 135-172). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Questions? http://lpa-theopendoor.org/ Like us on facebook! Cathi Tillman, LSW cathi.tillman@lpa-theopendoor.org Corinne Guest, LSW corinne.guest@lpa-theopendoor.org