A few years ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted and it gave millions of Americans access to healthcare – however, a particular group was excluded from the ACA, undocumented immigrants. In fact, the ACA clearly stated that undocumented immigrants cannot be treated as a qualified individual and may not be covered by a health plan offered through the Exchange. The population of undocumented immigrants is approximately 11 million in the United States – this population is either covered by family members or receive care from Qualified Health Centers, hospital emergency departments, clinics, charities, or simply go without. Unfortunately, many undocumented immigrants avoid seeking help due to fear of deportation, especially now with the Trump administration exacerbating the situation.
Furthermore, since many undocumented immigrants are uninsured and less likely to seek help, this also means they are not receiving mental health treatment. According to Mental Health America (MHA), undocumented immigrants face chronic and severe distress, decreased self-esteem, helplessness, hypervigilance, and increased depression and anxiety. Many of these conditions are due to the fact that this population faces significant challenges from factors in their home country to trauma experiences on the migration journey to the US. They also struggle to live in an unfamiliar place and stay hidden, while also being targeted and ostracized by the media and the Trump administration. Additionally, there is also traumatic experiences such as family separation, acculturation, and a lack of support.
Nonetheless, the issue still remains on how to provide undocumented immigrants with the necessary treatment needed for mental illnesses. Prior to President Trump’s election in 2016, a health program, ActionHealthNYC was created by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as a pilot to offer individuals with lower incomes no eligible for Medicaid or New York State’s Affordable Care Act exchange. The program was therefore aimed to provide care to undocumented individuals in New York City where they paid for services on a subsidized sliding fee scale. The programs were able to provide care to participants who have never seen a doctor and got access to screening, vaccinations, preventative care, and early diagnosis. Despite the many benefits of the program, it lasted for about a year and came to an end when Trump was elected. This is the type of program needed to provide undocumented immigrants with healthcare and necessary treatment, especially for mental health. Even a program like the health4all campaign in California, aimed towards health care for everyone regardless of immigration status is an important step towards providing care for this population.
Immigrant Mental Health 