Social Justice

IMMIGRANTS ASSISTANCE

Legal Immigrants, who become ill or destitute, lost their federal assistance in 1996. One-third of those in need are elderly or disabled and two-thirds of this group have children. They have no access to such federal programs as Food Stamps, General Assistance and Medicaid. We are the keepers of our brothers and sisters. Connecticut is attempting to provide for the needs of those who otherwise would qualify for state assistance, if they were citizens. We must continue to advocate for those in need. Medicaid for recent (5 Years) legal immigrants has been curtailed. The federal welfare reform legislation of 1996 excluded legal immigrants within their first 5 years of residency from access to the Medicaid program. This creates significant healthcare concerns in Connecticut. Of those immigrants who otherwise would be qualified for Medicaid and who are denied such access, two-thirds have children and one-third are elderly. The Catholic Church in Connecticut has been successful in having state funding allocated to this population, but the funds will be sunset in June of 2002. State legislators have not indicated a willingness to promote legislation to refund this program at the state level. The Impact on Catholic healthcare ministry rests in the fact that a significant number of our residents' only source of funding to have access to residential care is Medicaid. This is coupled with the fact that there has been an influx of elderly immigrants to Connecticut, especially from eastern Europe, due to the changing political structures in that region of the world. Many times these immigrants are unable to pass a citizenship test due to language or health difficulties that occurred after immigration. The Jewish healthcare community in Connecticut has been in collaboration with the Catholic Church on this issue, and is a natural partner to assist in such advocacy. Also, critically needed are services for undocumented immigrants, who fear deportation and do not access critically needed healthcare.