The United States has approximately 39.9 million immigrants — the largest number in its history — according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Protecting immigrants' mental health and helping the public and policymakers better understand the psychological processes associated with immigration are among the factors driving APA's ongoing efforts in this area.
For more than a decade, APA has produced resolutions, reports and policy initiatives to improve public awareness and understanding, psychological services and training, and public policies on immigration. As always, APA's focus is to provide non-partisan, scientific evidence that can inform and educate.
Among our most significant efforts is the 2011 report from the APA Presidential Task Force on Immigration, appointed by then-APA President Melba Vasquez, PhD. Crossroads: The Psychology of Immigration in the New Century is an evidence-based report that considers the developmental, clinical, counseling and social psychological aspects of the immigration experience, especially factors that facilitate or impede immigrants' adjustment and mental health.
Soon after its release, APA disseminated Crossroads to members of Congress and held a congressional briefing to highlight its most critical recommendations. These include using an ecological perspective to guide behavioral health interventions, providing culturally competent treatments, and incorporating an understanding of stigma and social justice principles in interventions and policies.
The foundation for APA's work on behalf of immigrants rests in our 1994 resolution, which urges greater availability of and access to educational, health, mental health and social services for immigrant children, youth and families. The resolution also promotes and supports public policies that provide for immigrants' psychosocial needs.
Based on this resolution, APA submitted congressional testimony in June of 2014 describing psychological issues related to the immigration experience and calling for policies that benefit immigrants' mental health needs, such as reforms that keep families together and the need to provide trauma-informed mental health services for children apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
In addition, last fall APA joined with 167 groups to oppose the Obama administration's expansion of detention centers for Central American families seeking asylum in the United States. In a Sept. 25 letter to President Obama, we argued that family detention may limit access to due process and may harm the mental and physical health of parents and children.
APA also weighed in on the 2013 debate over S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, calling for lawmakers to support amendments aimed at improving child well-being and the rights of same-sex partners.
APA also supports efforts to improve psychological research and practice in this area. As part of that work, former President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, and APA Recording Secretary Jennifer F. Kelly, PhD, along with staff from APA's Public Interest Directorate, attended the recent conference sponsored by the National Latina/o Psychological Association entitled "DREAMers, Immigration and Social Justice: Advancing a Global Latina/o Psychology Agenda." This conference featured research presentations on the impact of public policy, mental health concerns, and education and training.
The issue of immigration is just one of the many important national and global concerns in which psychological research and best practices can provide the public and policymakers with useful and timely information. By working with a wide spectrum of stakeholders, APA is able to illustrate the importance and relevance of our discipline. For timely updates on APA's advocacy activities, sign up for alertsopens in new window.
See article on children of immigrants: "DREAMers in limbo."
