Fast Facts from Fiscal Year 2022

The Libertas Center is proud to have served survivors of torture for over 1.5 decades. As our program continues to grow, we're happy to share some #fastfacts on our clients and services from the past fiscal year. In FY22:

• 368 clients were served by the Libertas Center, including 69 new clients

• 91% of clients were seeking asylum at Libertas intake

• 204 clients (55%) received Mental Health Services

• 144 clients (39%) were primarily Spanish speaking 

• >9,000 pro bono hours were contributed to the Libertas Center

We look forward to continuing to provide holistic, strengths-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate, dedicated, and compassionate medical, mental health, social, and legal services to our clients.

Libertas OB/GYN Physician Organizes Doula Resource Fair and Libertas Staff Attend

On August 3rd, the Libertas Center attended the HoPE Doula Resource Fair! The HoPE Community Doula Program is a new initiative that provides doula support to any pregnant person seeking care at Elmhurst or Queens Hospitals. We were thrilled to participate in the resource fair and learn more about the amazing benefits that doulas provide. Thank you to Dr. Sheela Maru who leads the HoPE program and is a dedicated Libertas physician!

You can read more here: https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/pressrelease/elmhurst-and-queens-launch-hope-doula-program/ 

Dr. Fernando Presents to Emergency Medicine Interns from the Icahn School of Medicine

Dr. Fernando presented on the intersection of health and human rights, the role of physicians in caring for refugees, asylum seekers and torture survivors, and the work of the Libertas Center, to 25 incoming Interns at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai Emergency Medicine Residency Program

Libertas Clinical Director Presents at Panel on “Refugee & Displaced Populations Mental Health and the Path Forward” at Columbia University’s Postbac Premed Student Council

Walter Fendrich, Libertas’ Clinical Director, was invited to speak on a panel hosted by Columbia University’s Postbac Premed Student Council. The goal of the panel was for students to gain a better understanding of trauma-informed care when working with immigrant and refugee communities.

Dr. Fernando and Dr. McVane Present at NYACEP

Libertas’ own Dr. Dinali Fernando and Dr. Ben McVane each presented to the New York American College of Emergency Physicians at the November 2020 Resident Research Conference. Dr Fernando spoke about caring for refugees, asylum-seekers, and torture survivors while working in the Emergency Department and at Libertas, and Dr. McVane discussed human rights investigations.