[ Photo by Karl Hoffmann]  

We at Migrant Clinicians Network are devastated by the recent shootings in California last week, and Texas and Ohio this past weekend. These horrific and tragic events have affected our staff, family, friends, colleagues, and countless individuals from communities across the US and internationally.

Gun violence is a public health crisis in the US. Health care providers are at the epicenter of the response. We call on our leaders not only to denounce this violence in the strongest terms possible but to act on concrete measures that eliminate gun violence and save lives.

We condemn the pervasive atmosphere of hate and racism, which has a disastrous effect on the ability to seek health and wellness. We believe that all of us, people everywhere, deserve to live without fear, and lead healthy and safe lives.

Our health care provider poll over the past three years reveals continued fear among migrant and immigrant patients. As acts of violence and domestic terrorism increase, we see that people are increasingly reluctant to seek the care that they need.

Know that you are not alone. The Witness to Witness (W2W) program provides services to those who work with asylum seekers, detainees, immigrants, and migrants, offering tools to handle stress and a listening ear via one-on-one conversations with an American Family Therapy Academy volunteer. Sign up to receive services here.

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