QUESTION
Are asylum seekers receiving comprehensive legal intake for U visas and other immigration benefits at help centers?
3:12:45
·
129 sec
Asylum seekers receive legal intake at help centers focusing mainly on asylum TPS or work authorization, with referrals for other needs.
- The focus is primarily on asylum TPS or work authorization; referrals are made for other types of needs.
- Asylum seekers are screened at help centers, but not all services are provided there for other immigration benefits.
- The Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health provides guides and personnel for asylum seekers undergoing trauma.
- Nonprofits contract with the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) to train immigration legal navigators in trauma-informed care.
- Therapy dogs are occasionally brought in to provide support at the application center.
Alexa Avilés
3:12:45
And are asylum seekers receiving full legal intake at the help centers?
3:12:51
To see if they're gonna be eligible for other immigration benefits?
3:12:56
Like you, visas, do they get a fall?
Molly Schaeffer
3:12:58
So we really focus on asylum GPS or work authorization at this time.
3:13:04
But I if they have other types of needs, then we refer them out to other folks.
Alexa Avilés
3:13:11
So they are they are screened, but maybe not supported.
3:13:15
Well, they can't be serviced at the help center for those other venues.
3:13:21
Yeah.
UNKNOWN
3:13:23
Look like
Alexa Avilés
3:13:23
you're gonna say something.
Manuel Castro
3:13:24
No.
3:13:25
I was just going to say and expand further, as Tom mentioned, the contract that falls under the purview of DSS.
3:13:34
Often known as IOI, takes on many of these complex types of cases.
Alexa Avilés
3:13:42
And does does Molliana Wasso anticipate challenges, having often traumatizing people who are alone to figure out how to navigate the fam family court system or immigration court?
Manuel Castro
3:13:59
Our mayor's office of community mental health, reasonably put out a resource guide for providers and those who wish this this community undergoing such this where traumatic experiences I know that we do have personnel both at the application center at the Hurts and everywhere where asylum seekers are are staying available for for them to connect with.
Molly Schaeffer
3:14:26
And we had therapy dogs a couple of times, which was very nice as well.
3:14:30
But we actually have staff on-site at our application center.
3:14:33
It's a good deal with that.
Tom Tortorici
3:14:35
And Moya also has contracts with nonprofits that provide trainings to our immigration legal navigators and their action in my in other programs.
3:14:42
These include bicarius trauma and trauma informed care.
Alexa Avilés
3:14:48
And, hopefully, taking care of all those staff members are holding everyone's drama as well.
3:14:54
Thank you.
