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Q&A
Council Member Salaam questions MOIA on immigration legal services funding and mental health support
3:51:10
·
4 min
Council Member Yusef Salaam questions MOIA Commissioner Manuel Castro and Deputy Commissioner Jasniya Sanchez about the funding shortfall for immigration legal services, contingency plans for impacted staff and cases, and mental health support for immigrants and asylum seekers. The officials provide information on available funds, plans for closing services, and upcoming mental health initiatives.
- MOIA clarifies that the total citywide investment in immigration legal services is $42.6 million, despite the shortfall in their specific budget.
- The Application Help Center will be closed by the end of the fiscal year due to lack of state funding.
- MOIA is planning a joint outreach campaign with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to address mental health needs in immigrant communities.
Yusef Salaam
3:51:10
Thank you, and good afternoon.
3:51:13
I have a question about the immigration legal services and the federal funding cuts.
3:51:21
Fiscal year twenty six executive budget includes only $4,400,000 for immigration and legal service, which falls far short of the 190,000,000 requested by the city council.
3:51:33
How does Moya plan to sustain critical legal programs given this shortfall, especially in light of the recent $200,000,000 in federal cuts that have already disrupted services for over 1,000 open cases in New York City?
Manuel Castro
3:51:49
Thank you for the question, council member.
3:51:51
The the funds available to Moya for immigration legal services are are not the only funds available for this work.
3:52:01
Other agencies also have available funds for for these needs.
3:52:09
Do you have the total number?
3:52:10
Yes.
Jasniya Sanchez
3:52:13
I can also add that on top of the $4,400,000 that you see in the executive budget, there were a couple of other items added.
3:52:25
1,650,000.00 for the Haitian Response Initiative.
3:52:31
Dollars 5,000,000 for the program formerly known as ASLAN.
3:52:37
And $2,800,000 for the program formerly known as navigation centers the executive plan.
Manuel Castro
3:52:46
For the total For the entire
Julian Colón
3:52:49
city budget.
Jasniya Sanchez
3:52:51
Sorry, and for the entire city budget we have, believe, hold on, give me one sec to pull up the number.
3:53:03
For the city budget, the total immigration legal services investment citywide is $42,600,000.
Yusef Salaam
3:53:13
And, what is Moya's contingency plan for the 200 plus impacted legal service staff and pending minor asylum cases if additional city support is not secured?
Manuel Castro
3:53:29
I'm sorry council member.
3:53:31
Can could you repeat the question?
Yusef Salaam
3:53:34
Sure.
3:53:34
What is Moya's contingency plan for the 200 plus impacted legal service staff and pending minor asylum cases if city support is not secured?
3:53:46
Additional city support.
Manuel Castro
3:53:47
Oh, I see.
3:53:48
The the application help center, you know, again, you know, the we've expressed our disappointment that the state funding is not available to continue those services and the application help center will be closed by the end of fiscal year.
3:54:04
As I stated before, clients will be connected or potential clients will be connecting to our existing programs including Moyes and staff are finding new employment at other agencies and and within our nonprofit sector.
Yusef Salaam
3:54:25
And chairs, I just have one last follow-up.
3:54:28
Then with mental health services for immigrants and asylum seekers, immigrant communities, particularly asylum seekers face unique mental health challenges.
3:54:36
Yet the executive budget lacks dedicated trauma informed mental health funding.
3:54:41
What steps will the will Moya take to address this gap and expand culturally competent mental health support?
3:54:49
And, has Moya coordinated with DOHMH and or HH and H to develop a joint strategy to deliver mental health services tailored to undocumented and recently arrived populations.
Manuel Castro
3:55:05
As I've working closely with the commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene In recent months, we're planning to launch an outreach campaign for this summer, specifically for these reasons.
3:55:20
Both the commissioner and I will be deploying staff and ourselves going into immigrant communities to ensure that that immigrant New Yorkers know of our existing resources.
3:55:34
We're also working closely with the mayor's office of community mental health to continue to inform our residents.
3:55:44
It's a priority for us, which is why the commissioner and I will be working on this joint project this summer.
3:55:51
Thank you.
3:55:53
Thanks.