Providing Mental Health Access to Unauthorized Children and Citizen-Children of Unauthorized Parents in Durham Area Schools

Abstract

World Relief Durham (WRD) is in the process of creating an intervention program that would support the effort to provide mental health access to unauthorized Hispanic children/youth, and citizen-children of unauthorized parents in Durham area schools. This research project contains interviews with World Relief National Offices, local experts, and Durham area schools. Language, finances, needs assessments, and fear of deportation were all barriers to mental health access that interviewees identified for unauthorized students in Durham. WRD must take the following steps to improve mental health access for unauthorized children and citizen-children of unauthorized parents in Durham:

1. Close the access gaps to mental health services by becoming a mental health provider, funding mental health service sessions, and identifying mental health service needs. 2. Build community partnerships by providing trainings for Durham school social workers and getting licensed for anti-human trafficking support. 3. Assist unauthorized parents by interviewing them, providing language assistance, removing stigma surrounding mental health, and introducing community resources. 4. Gather resources for high schoolers that can be used during and after graduation.

These strategies will help build upon services that are already in place by community organizations and enhance the overall process for unauthorized children, and citizen-children of unauthorized parents to receive mental health services.