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From left: Lafayette Aziz Moore, Community Affairs Liaison for NYS Senator Cordell Cleare, Nosayaba “Naya” Odesanya, Director of Communications for Senator Cleare, and Danielle Greene, CUNY SPH Executive Director of State and Local Public Health Initiatives
On Saturday, May 11, 2024, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy (CUNY SPH) collaborated with the CUNY School of Law and elected officials to help document and meet the needs of the newest New Yorkers. Working with the law school’s Emerging Needs Clinic, the CUNY SPH Office of Government Affairs, the Harlem Health Initiative (HHI), and the Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health (CIRGH) came together to support State Senator Cordell Cleare’s Legal and Health Resource Fair for new New Yorkers. Using resources researched and curated by CIRGH’s New York State Immigrant Provider Action (IMPACT) Center, new New Yorkers who visited the fair were provided with detailed information on 35 health and social service providers located within a one-mile radius of the fair. The Emerging Needs Clinic met with and made follow up appointments for nearly 30 individuals in need of legal assistance.
The New York State IMPACT Center, launched in 2023 as a multi-pronged initiative of the CIRGH, was designed to respond to the multifaceted and evolving needs of migrant-serving organizations, including the need for a comprehensive information source on migrant-focused service providers, resources, and data. Three years of community-engaged research and development has culminated in the IMPACT Center’s Migrant Service Provider Database, providing detailed information on 1,159 migrant-serving organizations in New York, including locations, contact information, services provided, populations served, staff languages, accepted insurance and costs. The IMPACT Center also houses a resource repository with 654 health communication materials, open-source publications and datasets, toolkits and a policy directory of relevant city, state, and federal legal briefs.
“This event is a testament to the power of community and cross-sectoral collaboration in providing critical and timely resources,” said Danielle Greene, CUNY SPH’s Executive Director of State and Local Public Health Initiatives. “Last year, CUNY SPH assisted the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene with linking new arrivals to health information and immunizations. Now we are amplifying access to a broad range of health, social and legal services.. We look forward to continuing this important work to create a welcoming environment that supports the wellbeing of all New Yorkers.”
CUNY SPH is working with the CUNY Law School’s Emerging Needs Clinic to expand access to legal, health, and social services to new New Yorkers, particularly those from African countries facing immense language barriers. The two schools are also working to analyze anonymous data of asylum seekers screened at the clinic and through other partner organizations to better understand the needs of the newly arrived through workforce history, working skills, country of origin, and health upon arrival. The information gathered can inform statewide discussions around expediting work authorizations and extending accreditation to new arrivals with advanced training and workforce skills (e.g. nurses, doctors, nutritionists, etc.), especially in local workforce areas that are currently experiencing shortages.
“To meet the needs of our newest New Yorkers, governmental agencies, CUNY campuses, community-based organizations, and community members are working collaboratively to improve wrap-around service provision,” said Ansley Hobbs, project officer with CIRGH’s IMPACT Center. “Through intersectoral coordination and resource sharing, we can reduce individual provider burden and achieve more holistic care.”
“Empowering new New Yorkers goes beyond borders,” said Deborah Levine, director of the CUNY SPH Harlem Health Initiative. “Through collaboration and innovation, Senator Cleare’s office, CUNY SPH and the CUNY School of Law, alongside our community partners, are not only providing immediate support but also laying the foundation for long-term empowerment. By leveraging resources, we’re not just offering assistance; we’re fostering resilience and building pathways to a brighter future for all.”
