(Last updated on September 2023)
At My Undocumented Life, we seek to provide resources for undocumented students and their families, not just in regards to educational opportunities and immigration news, but also with respect to their health!
We are continually expanding this health-related page as more information comes in so be sure to bookmark it.
“2-1-1” You can call 2-1-1 for health-related information and referral to local resources. They will help with access to food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more. The call is also confidential for safety and privacy. All information given is also free and accessible to anybody looking for help.
“All Good Things” was founded by Dr. Norma Ramirez and offers a wide range of mental health services to individuals and families, mental health providers, and organizations. At My Undocumented Life, we recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Ramirez about her trajectory and work, you can read more about it here.
“Farmworker Justice” Farmworker Justice is a nonprofit that works to empower seasonal and migrant farmworkers have more access to better living/working conditions, health and safety at their jobsite, address questions regarding immigration status, and advocate for justice.They work with farmworkers and organizations that advocate on behalf of farmworkers throughout the nation by advocating for change at the national level, representing workers and organizations in judicial processes, providing resources to organizations and workers, and through their public media campaigns.
“Health Resources and Services Administration” Here you can find low-cost or free programs. It is undocumented friendly. Eligibility is based on income and if one has health insurance or not. This website offers several types of services from finding a health center in their database to specific condition/illness programs. It offers other links as well to specific programs such as for substance abuse and mental health.
Immigrants Rising’s Virtual Wellness Gatherings: Immigrants Rising frequently hosts wellness support groups. Spots fill up quickly, so we recommend visiting their official page and stay tuned for upcoming openings.
Informed Immigrant’s Mental Health Guide: Informed Immigrant, a collective of immigrant-serving organizations, lawyers, technologists, and allies dedicated to working with the undocumented immigrant community, has created the guide: “Mental Health: Taking Care of Yourself and Loved Ones,” which has resources for caring for loved ones, finding emotional support, recognizing anxiety, and cultivating joy.
“Kaiser Permanente Bridge Program and other Programs” These programs allow for undocumented immigrants to apply for low cost medical services at Kaiser Permanente. You do not need a social security number to apply. Requirements include proof of residence in an area where the program is offered as well as proof of income. I’ve been searching to see if there’s any other states that have this program, but no luck yet. Current locations include, Colorado, California, Mid-Atlantic, Georgia, and the Northwest.
Latinx Therapy has many mental health resources specifically designed for Latinx communities including resources to find therapists and recommendations for mental health apps, podcasts, books, and YouTube videos.
“National Association for Free and Charitable Clinics” This website is a database of clinics that offer free or low-cost services. One’s undocumented status does not bar them from seeking help from any of these clinics. The site also provides infographics of each state and advocacy articles. This is especially helpful for those looking for a clinic that will offer affordable care.
“National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)” NDLON is a network composed of 36 member organizations throughout the U.S. that advocate for the rights of immigrant day laborers to organize, protect their rights, and contribute to society regardless of their immigration status. NDLON has established a core of 11 organizations that lead occupational health and safety trainings across the country. They also work closely with regulatory agencies such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and work collaboratively with other organizations to encourage changes in policies.
“National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)” Report by NIOSH on “Overlapping Vulnerabilities” for immigrant workers in the field of construction, in terms of occupational safety and health. Immigrant workers in construction face several unique challenges that put their lives in danger, in an already dangerous occupation. In particular for Latino immigrant workers, their status as day laborers, or ‘jornaleros’ means they are more vulnerable to abuses such as discrimination, in relation to their immigration status, lack of personal protective equipment being provided, and wage theft by their employers.
“Out of the Closet store/pharmacy” This pharmacy offers free HIV testing without the need to fill out any paperwork. It’s trustworthy and the test results are ready in 20 minutes. This is a vital resource for the undocumented community in need of HIV testing, it’s free and does not require individuals to fill out paperwork regarding their immigration status or insurance. They have several locations across the country.
UCSF Mental Health Guide for Navigating COVID-19: The University of California Department of Psychiatry has compiled resources to support your mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Resources include information about maintaining good sleep, reducing stress, how to talk to children about COVID-19, and tips for older adults living at home.
“Yolotl Libre Therapy” was founded by Dr. Laura Minero who is a licensed psychologist and identifies as a bilingual, bicultural, queer and gender expansive, Latinx immigrant from Mexico who was undocumented for 26 years in the United States. Her practices offers therapy services for individuals, couples, and families.
CALIFORNIA
“Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR)” This organization helps women who have been sexually abused or assaulted. It helps you with counseling sessions and it also gives support to families with legal help if the victim was undocumented. It is imperative for women, regardless of their immigration status, to know that there is a safe space in which they can receive support and help after they encounter an abusive situation.
“Borrego Health Clinic – Southern California” This Clinic offers an array of health services at a low cost. No insurance is required and proof of residency is only needed in the form of a bill with one’s address on it. They also provide ways to get medication at a lower cost and have social workers available to help with other needs requiring paperwork. Mobile Units are also available.
“Health Coverage and Care for Undocumented Immigrants” by the Public
Policy Institute of California. This report highlights additional research on undocumented immigrants’ access (or lack thereof) to health care services.
“HOPE’s California Healthcare Resource Guide for Undocumented Immigrants” In this website, you can access a pdf file (available in English and Spanish) with health resources available for people in California, for example, a list of clinics that offer free or low-cost services regardless of status. These clinics are then organized by region and types of services they offer. It also provides a FAQ column with questions that one may have about health care in general.
“La Clinica” La Clinica is a healthcare provider. They recently began accepting the Affordable Care Act, and find ways to help people that are undocumented and don’t qualify for health care. They develop plans of payment depending on an individual’s income and accessibility.
“Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center” This center provides health services that can include: dental, mental and physical health. These services are available for various age groups. The nurses speak Spanish, Tagalog and other languages. They also can help you set up payment options.
NEW YORK
“Make the Road NY (Se Hace Camino NY)” MRNY seeks to “build the power of Latino and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services.” It is a non-profit organization composed of over 25,000 members from over 25 different countries. They have 4 different offices throughout the New York City metropolitan area and provide information about health resources available to the immigrant community in New York. Their work surrounding health includes leading workplace trainings on safety and health, increase access to translation services in the health care industry, help people access health services and public benefits, advocate for expansion of health accessibility to all New Yorkers, and assist enrollment in ACA health insurance.
“New York Immigration Coalition” NYC-based non-profit that seeks to “improve access to health care for low-income immigrants. We advocate for reform on systemic issues such as insurance eligibility, communication barriers, and flawed billing and enrollment practices.” They provide resources that help immigrants navigate access to health care services regardless of language spoken, immigration status, or income level.
“NYC Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access” Provides information of health resources that are available to immigrants, regardless of immigration status.
TEXAS
“Bethesda Clinic in Tyler” This clinic offers low cost health treatment without the need of insurance or legal status. It offers general family medicine and can also refer you to local etx doctors that will help you with treatment. This is a good resource for the undocumented communities because it gives low cost health services and can refer you to doctors in case of needed a specialist.
“Catholic Charities- Dallas” Catholic charities offers an array of services to the undocumented/DACA community. This is a great resource for the community because they provide legal services at low cost.They are trustworthy and all of their legal staff have been certified by the state.
“Dallas County Health & Human Services” This is a community clinic in Dallas, Texas with lab services that are affordable and do not require legal status. They offer STD testing, TB testing, Communicable diseases testing and also immunization shots. The nurses speak Spanish and can help with the paperwork.
“Genesis Womens Shelter” This shelter is for women who have been abused. They provide shelter, food, and counseling for women of all ages. The counseling is free and is also available in Spanish. They provide counseling for children too (up to 17 years of age).
“NET Health ETX” This health outreach center provides free breast/cervical cancer screening, TB shot, diabetes testing, and nutrition workshops.(also in Spanish). They can also refer you to local doctors in case of a health problem. They don’t require you to have health insurance or legal status to obtain any of their free screenings/testing.
“Parkland Hospital” This hospital provides medical care for all types of treatment regardless of legal status.(if you live in Dallas county). They offer the “Parkland Plan” that enables you to get treatment and your medications at a low-cost. They also offer surgeries and mental health support. They always have translators available. It is very resourceful to undocumented immigrants because the hospital has many clinics in Dallas that serve the community and will help us regardless of legal status.
“St. Paul Children’s Foundation/Clinics” This foundation has several clinics that provide medical and dental services for undocumented children. It is very low cost and also doubles as a food/clothes pantry. They will give you free food and clothes without requiring legal status.
“Trinity Mother Frances Hospital” This hospital now finances surgery for undocumented individuals without the need of insurances. They do not offer financing for treatment but will offer to finance your surgery if you need one.
“UT Health NorthEast Hospital and Clinics” This hospital and its clinics offer free prostate cancer screening, low cost diagnostic testing, and provide free asthma/allergy testing for children, all regardless of status. It is important to the undocumented community bc it is a trustworthy hospital that offers finance, low cost and free testing without the need for insurance or legal status.
