Refugees Northwest Asylum Assistance Program

Grantee: Lutheran Community Services Northwest
Timeframe: July 2017 – June 2020 | Total Amount: $439,662

Year 1: July 2017 – June 2018. Amount: $140,000
Year 2: July 2018 – June 2019. Amount: $144,246
Year 3: July 2019 – June 2020. Amount: $155,416

Through its Asylum Assistance Program (AAP), Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) helps asylum seekers and those granted asylum to connect to medical and mental health care, as well as basic needs that improve well-being.

Funding will be used to accomplish the following:

• Improve the emotional well-being of asylum seekers and asylees (asylum seekers are those pursuing asylum and asylees are those granted asylum) by screening for mental health conditions.
• Connect those with significant distress to mental health care.
• Ensure asylum seekers and asylees have a primary care provider. For asylum seekers, this means establishing charity care at a Federally Qualified Health Clinic or Harborview Medical Center’s International Medicine Clinic.
• Help asylees connect to medical insurance. Those granted asylum are eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. LCSNW assists asylees in applying for insurance and then connecting them to a primary care clinic. Where possible, LCSNW also connects them to a Refugee Health Screening so they can begin on the immunization schedule required to adjust their status to green card holder after one year.
• Connect asylum seekers to free medical and mental health evaluations to corroborate evidence needed to further an asylum claim as requested by their legal representative.
• Provide resources and referrals in areas noted for their impact on health. This includes providing basic needs like emergency food assistance, clothing, bus tickets, and hygiene supplies, as well helping people connect to employment services, enroll in English as Second Language classes, obtain Washington State IDs, reunify with family members and receive their social security card.