NYC Gazette

On May 5, the Parnes Clinic at Yeshiva University hosted its first Bronx Community Resources Event, welcoming 60 migrant and asylum-seeking teenagers. Local organizations such as Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Center for Family Life were present to help attendees access services ranging from health insurance to academic support.

The event featured two guest speakers from Guinea and Venezuela who shared their experiences seeking asylum in the U.S. They moderated a conversation among participants about the challenges of adapting to a new country, navigating unfamiliar systems, learning a new language, and facing issues like bullying in schools. The Parnes Clinic provided a safe space for participants to support each other and discuss strategies for overcoming these challenges.

In addition to fostering community, the event connected asylum seekers with essential resources including health insurance, social services, legal services, academic support, and professional guidance. Partnering organizations included the New York Public Library, K.I.N.D (Kids In Need of Defense), Center for Family Life, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance, and counseling resources available at the Parnes Clinic.

As part of YU’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology's training clinic, Parnes offers affordable mental health services through several programs. This includes the Asylum Project which provides mental health counseling and psychological evaluations to support asylum seekers' legal cases. The event was organized by Shira Levy, a PsyD student at Ferkauf and Sacks-Herenstein Impact Scholar.

“Through putting together this event, I spoke to dozens of non-profit organizations and learned about the good work folks in New York City are doing to help underserved communities,” said Shira Levy. “I also learned that those communities do not always know about the many resources available to them. This event worked to bridge that gap and make valuable resources accessible to those who need them most. I am proud of the work we did to benefit this community and look forward to growing our reach and service to other asylum seekers in New York.”

“This was a wonderful event for us,” said William Salton, Director of the Parnes Clinic. “We spent so many years devoting so much of our time to immigrants and asylum seekers, and to see 60 teens show up teaching each other and supporting each other…it was just a great afternoon. It was a really effective way to let them know that support and help is available. We hope that more events like this will follow so that Parnes can bring even more benefits to the community.”