Healthcare for low-income families

Providers at CCI Health & Wellness Services hear story after story of trauma and struggle from our patients—especially among the many refugee and immigrant families who receive services at our health centers. Thanks to generous people like you, we are here for these families—not only to treat their medical ailments, but also to help them heal from emotional trauma. You are making a difference in the lives of patients like Jon, Abby, and Blanca, and we can’t thank you enough.

When Jon* was 6 years old, his parents emigrated to the U.S. while he and his older sister stayed with their great aunt. His parents worked and saved, and years later, he and his sister were able to join them in the U.S. Jon was happy to see them again, but he missed home, and figuring things out at his new school did not come easy. Soon, he began to feel angry all of the time—at his siblings, at his teachers, at his parents. Once, he got frustrated, smashed a plate, and cut his foot so badly that his parents had to take him to the emergency room. As patients at our health center, Jon's parents asked how he could get help. A combination of talk therapy and medication has helped him process his feelings of separation, from his parents and from his family back home. Today, Jon is getting along better with his family, and he’s making dramatic improvements in school.

Abby* didn’t think that she could ever have a normal life. Repeatedly sexually abused at a young age, she couldn’t remember a time that she didn’t feel weighed down with deep sadness. Though she didn’t know if it would make a difference, she began seeing a behavioral health provider at CCI Health & Wellness Services. After months of talk therapy and taking medication, her depression score was cut in half. Her depression isn't over, but Abby now has hope.

Blanca* had been a dedicated student back home; she wanted to be a doctor one day. But when she came to the U.S. in 7th grade, she felt lost in all of her classes. By the time Blanca finished her first year of high school, she’d given up on being a doctor—she wasn’t sure she’d get her high school diploma. That’s when Blanca’s mom signed her up to join a teen girls’ therapy group at CCI Health & Wellness Services. The other girls also came to the U.S. from different countries, and they were struggling too. Blanca felt better after the first meeting, just knowing that she wasn’t the only one. She still didn’t know if she’d graduate, but she finished all of her homework for the next day, and the thought of going to school in the morning didn’t seem quite as bad as usual.

Thank you again for your generosity. You are helping vulnerable kids in our community heal from trauma and achieve whole and healthy lives.

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*Pseudonyms used and details changed or omitted to protect patient privacy.