Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth in Alameda County: Building Communities of Support Jasmine Gonzalez, UIY Senior Clinical Case Manager Center for Healthy Schools and Communities Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Magdalena Guadalupe, Immigration Staff Attorney Centro Legal de la Raza Board of Supervisors, Social Services Committee October 26, 2015
Agenda 1. Definition and population overview 2. How Alameda County is supporting Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth (UIY) 3. The HCSA Framework for working with UIY
Equity Lens As long as factors such as race, class, and neighborhood impact health and education outcomes, initiatives must question how every program and policy decision will reduce inequities. Applying an equity lens starts with identifying inequities and their underlying causes, as well as embracing cultural humility and engaging groups whose voices are not traditionally heard. Every child gets what they need to thrive. Capacity Building Dynamic Partnerships Equity Lens Transformative Leadership Smart Financing Quality Practice Results Focus 3
Working Assumptions Immigrant youth, and particularly unaccompanied immigrant youth, make up a unique, vulnerable population with unique health and mental well-being challenges Displacement, in combination with the challenging processes of acculturation, places youth in a situation of social vulnerability with restricted access to health care services, resulting in an increased risk for health disparities over the lifespan As the vast majority of these youth are enrolled in school, we are in a key position to address these challenges and act as a conduit to service linkages with the aim to ease their transition and foster resiliency.
Definitions and Population Overview 5
Terminology UAC = Unaccompanied Alien Child defined by statute UM = Unaccompanied Minor UIY = Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth or Unaccompanied Youth
Statutory Definition Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC): A child who has no lawful immigration status in the United States; has not attained 18 years of age; and with respect to whom at the time of entry is without a parent or legal guardian in the United States or no parent or legal guardian in the United States is available to provide care and physical custody. 6 USC 276(g)(2) Preferred Terminology: Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth or Unaccompanied Minor
Number of Apprehended UIY Arrivals in Alameda County FY 2014 (October 2013 September 2014): 367 FY 2015 YTD (October 2014 August 2015): 251 Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Country Conditions Behind the Crisis Honduras 2009 coup led to significant increase in impunity Highest murder rate in the world for four straight years Rate of forced disappearances has increased Disappearances of women and girls increased by 281% from 2008 to 2013 El Salvador 93% increase in disappearances in 2013 Gangs grew more aggressive in 2014 and have instituted join or die policies in some areas Steady increase in the homicide rate since August 2013 In 2012, 130,000 people were displaced one or more times in El Salvador (pop. ~ six million) Guatemala Disappearances have increased 156% since 2009 Sexual assaults have increased 63% since 2009 Gangs have extorted an average of $61 Million per year since 2011 from families, transportation workers, and small business owners. Gang membership has increased by 8,000 between 2007 and 2013
Population Overview Majority Come From: El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Common Characteristics: Gaps in education Varied levels of trauma; home country, passage, and acculturation Language needs; a variety of indigenous dialects Possible unstable living conditions Pressure to work
Apprehension and Detention Unaccompanied children apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration officials are transferred to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
After Release from Detention Sponsor Placement Sponsor may be relative (even parent), family friend, from the same village. Responsible for financial support and enrolling in school Children placed in Oakland will be assigned to San Francisco Immigration Court Will have a hearing date, usually within a few weeks Will NOT routinely get legal representation School Placement Must enroll in school Classroom placement usually according to age, not academically most appropriate grade May or may not be assigned to school with robust ESL and newcomer programs
Legal Process DHS files a Notice to Appear (NTA) with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) NTA: document charging child with immigration violations EOIR schedules first court appearance Initial hearing known as Master Calendar Hearing Government represented by trial attorneys No right to counsel at government expense (50% of children appear without legal representation) Continued Master Calendar appearances (about every 2 months) Relief Applications USCIS has initial jurisdiction to consider Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and Asylum applications Grant of Relief or Order of Voluntary Departure or Deportation
Most Common Legal Remedies Available to Unaccompanied Minors Fact: A high percentage of UIY students qualify for some type of immigration relief Asylum*: A form of legal relief providing protection for those individuals who have suffered or fear persecution in their home country based on their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or social group Special Immigrant Juvenile Status*: A form of legal relief available to unaccompanied minors who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. U visa: A form of legal relief available to victims of violent crimes who have suffered substantial harm as a result of the crime and who have been helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. Crime must have occurred in the U.S. *Most common forms of relief
Addressing Health, Education, and Legal Needs 16
We make the road by walking * We are creating an integrated system of care, where UIY s physical, social and emotional needs are addressed so they enter school ready to learn We are creating a community that breaks down the barriers to education, physical and social emotional health. *Adapted from a Spanish proverb by Paulo Freire see book of same Name by Horton & Freire, 1990
How are School Districts Supporting UIY? Identification Centralized enrollment; early identification efforts Hiring of staff to work specifically with UIY; ex: Oakland and Hayward Reliance on newcomer program staff; opportunities for presentations and consultations Partnering with community based organizations; kinship support services, McKinney- Vento programs Referrals to appropriate resources Working with Centro Legal and other legal service providers to connect children to immigration attorneys to provide deportation defense Mental health support services, youth development, Restorative Justice practices, guardian support Family Resource Centers School Health Centers
Multipronged Approach Resilience Medical Insurance/ Coverage Legal Mental Health Support System
Factors Influencing Positive Outcomes Adaptation to families AND schools and communities Closer connections to family in US while in home country Opportunities for trauma recovery Mentors & peers in school settings Families able to tolerate mixed emotions & ongoing contact with home country caretakers Active re-engagement strategies with parents, relatives in US Schapiro et al., 2013, Schapiro et al., 2015
Physical and Mental Health Link Toxic Stress: experience strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity without adequate support physical or emotional abuse chronic neglect caregiver substance abuse or mental illness exposure to violence accumulated burdens of family economic hardship prolonged stress response disrupts the development of brain architecture and other organ systems increase the risk for stress-related disease and cognitive impairment well into the adult years
Peers / Community Many UIY miss home country culture Trust issues: friends at home vs. friends here may fear local members of transnational gangs Group intervention tricky Street/school/neighborhood safety. Cousins & extended family provide important network
Alameda County Investment in UIY Supports $25,000 grant from Supervisor Valle to provide legal services to UIY residents in Hayward $2.5 million dollars earmarked to support emotional needs No Wrong Door Policy; EPSDT community based mental health providers can bill for services rendered to UIY Create the UIY Care Team through partnership with La Familia to provide comprehensive support services to UIY and caregivers. Appointed Senior Clinical Case Manager to coordinate health services of UIY across Alameda County and lead UIY Care Team Incorporated supports for UIY by Our Kids Our Families program managed by Center for Healthy Schools and Communities Actively linking UIY (whether attending school or not) to School Health Centers for physical and mental health supports, including screenings, assessments, and direct service.
HCSA Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth Framework: Core Components 1. Three Tiers of Support 2. Trauma Informed 3. Resiliency Focused 4. Culturally Responsive 5. Youth Driven 6. Creating Linkages to Services 7. Caregiver Engagement
Three Tiers of Support Tier 3: TREATMENT Therapy Wrap-around Services Tier 2: EARLY INTERVENTION Social Skills Groups Case Management few students some students Mental Health Consultation Restorative Practices Positive Behavioral Supports Social-Emotional Learning Family Engagement Assessment and Training Tier 1: PREVENTION and PROMOTION of healthy, social emotional development for all students Includes creating positive school environments that foster caring relationships, high expectations, and opportunities for meaningful participation
Youth Helping Youth Youth immigrants have courage, self-reliance, and brokering skills. They are natural leaders. Youth immigrants can be part of and lead the solutions. Dreamers and other childhood arrivals can help design and provide solutions. CAVEAT: cartels/gangs are transnational, we need to be mindful about potential dangers of peer connections.
School Health Centers 27
Access To Health Care Services Over half will not have a medical home Girls tend to have better access Will not have accessed care in the last 1-2 years Delay care due to perceived barriers - high cost - language - transport - long waits and difficulty making an appointment Vision / dental care particularly difficult to obtain Migration and Health, Young Mexican Immigrants in the U.S., 2012 National population Council of Government of Mexico (CONAPO) University of California (UC)
Health Insurance Coverage May not apply for insurance because of the immigration status of other family members Vast majority will not qualify for federal or state programs pending legal outcomes Over half will lack any type of health insurance Find themselves in risky occupations that do not provide coverage Community clinics play an important role in access to care Migration and Health, Young Mexican Immigrants in the U.S., 2012 National population Council of Government of Mexico (CONAPO) University of California (UC)
How School Health Centers Serve Unaccompanied Youth Seamless service coordination and collaboration - integration into health care system - tackles age, financial, cultural, and geographic barriers Can address school, peers, family Schools seen as safe places by families Creative funding streams can enable health care for all Integrated health/mental health care Intensive support: can see youth several times a week in a crisis
Outstanding Needs Improved early identification and awareness in some school districts Caregiver supports / case management Enhanced case management for students Additional youth-centered supports and opportunities to connect (e.g. Soccer Without Borders) Enhanced legal clinics and workshops to understand rights
Questions? Contact: Jasmine Gonzalez, MFTI, PPSC UIY Senior Clinical Case Manager/UIY Behavioral Health Consultant Phone: 510-704-3656 Email: jasmine.gonzalez@acgov.org Magdalena Guadalupe Immigration Staff Attorney Centro Legal de la Raza Phone: 510-437-9191 Email: mguadalupe@centrolegal.org