A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

Matching Grant program, a public/private partnership to help refugees become self-sufficient
and avoid the welfare system.
• The United States Government should fully fund the Refugee Social Services and Special
Needs Program and the Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance Program as the funds for this
line item are currently inadequate. 469
• The United States Government should increase funding for torture survivor services, which
has remained static for more than five years despite continuing increases in demand. 470
Physical and Mental Health Services
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of
his family, including ... medical care.” 471 Liberians face significant barriers to accessing health services,
including lack of insurance coverage, lack of culturally appropriate health services, and unfamiliarity
with the U.S. health care delivery system. Many Liberians in the U.S. cannot access medical care
because they lack insurance coverage. Federal or state medical assistance may be available, depending
on the immigration status of the individual and other eligibility criteria. Refugees and asylees are
eligible for refugee health screenings, administered through the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and
for federal medical assistance for the first eight months after arrival (or the grant of asylum). Liberians
who are on TPS/DED may not qualify for the coverage at all. Survivors of the Liberian conflict must
have access to specialized programs for survivors of torture and war trauma that include medical
and psychological treatment. Programs that support Liberians’ recovery from trauma benefit not
only Liberians themselves, but also the communities in which they settle. Diverse programming is
needed, including culturally relevant services and services for child soldiers, former combatants, and
others who were held behind rebel lines. Accordingly, The Advocates urges state, federal, and local
government entities, as well as community based organizations, to take the following actions to assist
Liberians in accessing appropriate and effective mental and physical health care services.
Potential Implementation Strategies: Assistance and Support to Immigrants
In Minnesota, state law allows immigrants who have been accepted at a licensed torture treatment
center to apply for and receive state-funded benefits to cover their care. Advocating for comparable
legislation in other states with large Liberian populations might be an important strategy to provide
services that are in the public interest.
The Center for Victims of Torture in Minnesota has implemented a “New Neighbors/Hidden Scars”
project, designed to bring together Liberian and non-Liberian service providers to support the Liberian
community in healing from trauma. 472
The Extended Support Services for New Asylees program in Minnesota linked new asylees with the state
department of health to ensure that they received free health screenings and other social services. 473
491
Chapter Fourteen