Medicine Beyond Borders
A Call to Action: Providing Care via Forensic Examinations and Legal Referrals
Dec 16, 2020There are more migrants worldwide fleeing war and systematic discrimination since immediately post-World War II. Yet, US asylum seekers have no legal right to court-appointed attorneys in their immigration proceedings, nor medical/mental health forensic examinations. The national asylum grant rates range from 23-37.5%; the addition of legal representation and medical/mental health forensic examinations increases the grant rate to 85-89%.
In partnership with the Human Rights Clinic at Denver Health, this brief provides information:
1. to help medical and mental health providers better identify eligible cases and refer asylum seekers to legal services through local agencies and
2. to increase access to medical and mental health forensic examinations by increasing the number of trained clinicians.
A second version of the brief, A Colorado Call to Action, includes local resources and volunteer opportunities for Colorado providers.