Strengthening Medical and Mental Health Services for Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities
This conversation examined unaccompanied children’s access to medical and mental health services post-release and offered recommendations for improvements.
The number of migrant children entering the United States without a parent or legal guardian reached a record high in 2022-2023. Most unaccompanied children temporarily enter the care of the U.S. government before joining parents or other sponsors in U.S. communities to await the outcome of their immigration proceedings. Once they have made this transition, the services and supports that are critical to their ability to thrive—medical and mental health care key among them—can be difficult to access. This conversation marked the conclusion of a research project undertaken in 2022 by MPI and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to study unaccompanied children’s access to medical and mental health services after release from federal custody.
AAP and MPI launched their report, A Path to Meeting the Medical and Mental Health Needs of Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities, and discussed its findings and recommendations during this webinar, including insights from field visits in Houston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, where researchers spoke with more than 100 professionals working with unaccompanied children. The conversation featured a walk-through of the report’s findings around barriers to care for unaccompanied children and promising community practices to strengthen medical and mental health services. It also focused on the report’s recommendations on steps that governments, health systems, schools, and communities can take to improve access to medical and mental health care, for the benefit of the children and broader society.
Speakers:
Jonathan Beier, PhD, Policy Analyst, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, MPI; developmental psychologist
Karla Fredricks, MD, MPH, FAAP, Immigration Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); Director, Program for Immigrant and Refugee Child Health, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital
Courtney Mosley, MSW, Opportunities for Youth Project Manager, Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc.
Moderator:
Tamar Magarik Haro, Senior Director, Federal and State Advocacy, AAP
About the Human Services Initiative
The Initiative produced work focusing on U.S. federal, state, and local policies on immigration issues affecting children, families, and health and human services.
About the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy
The Center is a national hub connecting policymakers, educators, community leaders, and service providers with evidence-informed policy research, technical assistance, and data to advance effective immigrant integration at U.S., state, and local levels.
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Courtney Mosley
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Tamar Magarik Haro
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