City Officials Host Roundtable Discussion on Supporting the Mental Health of Immigrant Communities

For Immediate Release: November 18, 2025

NEW YORK — On Tuesday, November 18th, the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH), the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) hosted an ethnic and community media roundtable discussing city resources available to all immigrant New Yorkers seeking access to mental health resources. During the event, MOIA highlighted its Know Your Rights trainings for accessing city care, while OCMH underscored its initiatives to connect immigrant New Yorkers with culturally responsive mental health programs, community-based partnerships, and multilingual resource tools. DOHMH outlined options for New Yorkers to access mental health resources through both the agency and local partners, and the ways city agencies continue to collaborate and improve service delivery for all New Yorkers. 

“The resources our team have put at the forefront of our mission cover the comprehensive care needed to support our immigrant community members,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro. “Mental health is crucial to one’s well-being and MOIA has emphasized the need for more inter-agency collaboration, as seen in this roundtable, to help achieve progress in this crucial element of community life. It is our responsibility as city leaders, to proactively advocate for the needs and inclusion of immigrants in our mental health space. I have faith in our mental health practitioners across the city who have dedicated their time and passion to supporting our immigrant New Yorkers in this precarious time.” 

“Every New Yorker deserves access to mental health care that meets them where they are, in their language, and in their community. At OCMH, we are committed to breaking down barriers that too often prevent immigrant families from seeking support," said OCMH Executive Director Eva Wong. "Through culturally responsive supports and services, trusted community partnerships, and multilingual resources, we believe that every immigrant New Yorker should be equipped with the tools to navigate the City's mental health system with dignity and confidence. We are grateful to our partners at MOIA and DOHMH for helping make that vision a reality.”     

"The New York City Health Department is proud to not only offer high quality, culturally responsive mental health resources, but to work with immigrant communities across the city to ensure their voices are heard,” said Department of Health Mental Hygiene Executive Deputy Commissioner H. Jean Wright. “Whether someone is looking for community at a Clubhouse, learning how to support their community through our mental health resilience workshops or just looking for help finding a resource that meets their individual needs, we are here to help regardless of immigration or insurance status. Nobody should let fear or stigma keep them from getting support, and I encourage anyone seeking care to call or text 988 24/7 to connect confidentially with a trained counselor."