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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Naima Dahir, Advocate from Arab American Family Support Center
7:24:16
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134 sec
Naima Dahir from the Arab American Family Support Center testified about the urgent mental health needs of New York's pan-Asian and immigrant communities. She highlighted the organization's work in providing culturally competent social services and advocated for increased funding for community-based organizations to expand and sustain their mental health services.
- The Arab American Family Support Center served over 20,000 individuals last year, offering support in more than 30 languages.
- The organization faces potential $1,100,000 shortfalls amidst an 80% increase in referrals to their mental health programs due to federal funding freezes and delays.
- Escalating federal immigration enforcement has left many community members afraid to access critical social services, leading to an expansion of mental health, legal, and outreach services.
Naima Dahir
7:24:16
Good afternoon, council member Schulman, council member Lee, and members of the committee.
7:24:21
My name is Nayma Dahir and I'm here on the behalf of the Arab American Family Support Center.
7:24:27
We provide trauma informed, culturally competent social services to the growing Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, Muslim, South Asian communities across New York City.
7:24:37
Last year alone, we served over 20,000 individuals offering support in more than 30 languages.
7:24:44
As members of the Asian American Mental Health Roundtable, we are here today to highlight the urgent mental health needs of New York's pan Asian and immigrant communities.
7:24:54
This year the roundtable is advocating for increased funding for community based organizations to expand and sustain their mental health services.
7:25:03
These resources are critical in addressing disparities in mental health awareness, service accessibility, and the availability of culturally competent providers.
7:25:12
At AAFSC, we ensure low income individuals receive therapy in culturally competent settings where clinicians understand their backgrounds and speak their languages.
7:25:24
Removing one of the biggest barriers to care.
7:25:27
Beyond mental health, the Arab American Family Support Center provides wraparound services including domestic violence case management, housing navigation, legal services, and food distribution, ensuring that community members receive holistic support.
7:25:42
However, just as demand is surging, federal funding freezes and delays have created unprecedented uncertainties for our mental health and our domestic violence programs.
7:25:52
The Arab American Family Support Center alone faces potential 1,100,000 shortfalls amongst the 80% increase in referrals to our mental health programs.
7:26:03
At the same time, escalating federal immigration enforcement has left many of our community members living in fear, afraid to access critical social services or even leave their homes.
7:26:15
We have expanded our mental health, legal, and outreach services in response, but we urge the council to continue to support organizations like ours as we do this really critical work.
7:26:26
We highlighted some of our budget requests in our testimony, but thank you so much.
Lynn Schulman
7:26:31
Thank you.