DURHAM, N.C. — Some immigrants in North Carolina are reporting anxiety and depression, a North Carolina psychiatrist says.
Dr. Luke Smith, who works closely with the Latino immigrant community, says he started seeing a shift earlier this year.
What You Need To Know
El Futuro is a nonprofit that offers mental health services to the Latino immigrant community
Psychiatrist and El Futuro executive director Dr. Luke Smith says he has seen a surge in clients this year because of the increase in ICE arrests
Smith said there’s a lot of stress in the Latino community
Dorian Gomez, the community engagement assistant at El Futuro, hosts parties for immigrants to reconnect with their culture and one another so they don’t feel alone
“The first part of this year hit, we started seeing some kids whose parents wouldn’t let them go to school. And we thought, ‘oh, boy, what’s that mean for our work?’” Smith said.
Smith is the executive director of El Futuro, a nonprofit that offers mental health services to the Latino immigrant community. He says he’s seen a surge in demand this year because of the increase of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and patrols.
“Over the last year we have definitely seen more stress in the community. And at the same time, we’ve seen fewer resources to do the kind of work that we’re doing,” Smith said.
The need for mental health services has increased so much, they now offer walk-in services to accommodate the demand. Smith said sometimes a line of people waiting to be seen wraps around the building in the mornings.
“We have these little, little buzzers and this is a, like a restaurant buzzer, so you can give that to somebody and then they can take it out to their car and wait in the car instead of waiting in public, which is more exposed and more at risk,” Smith said.
Smith says El Futuro usually sees around 6,000 clients a year. This year that number has nearly doubled. One of the ways El Futuro tries to help Latino immigrants is by reconnecting them to their culture and building community. Dorian Gomez knows firsthand the importance of community building.
“I think it’s one of the best ways to make people feel empowered, to feel seen,” Gomez said.
As the community engagement assistant, she creates different events throughout the year to foster a positive and hopeful environment for immigrants.
“Being able to provide that space for folks to feel safe and to be able to celebrate their cultural history, considering that most folks are coming from this experience of migration,” Gomez said.
Whether it’s helping Latino immigrants through psychiatry or connection, El Futuro’s mission is doing whatever it can to help a community in need.
“We’re just trying to reclaim that narrative that we’re really just trying to exist and share joy,” Gomez said.
The American Psychological Association is also looking at the toll detentions and deportations is causing among immigrants. It says there is an urgent need for more culturally responsive care. Other stressors some immigrants are facing include panic attacks, weight changes, anger, low self-esteem and behavioral problems.
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