This fall the program received a grant of $390,000 from the Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human Services. This federal funding will support continuation of clinics for Latino survivors of political trauma and also for torture victims from Ethiopia, Sudan, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. Although the overall IPP would have continued, these particular clinics were in danger of closing without the funding.

IPP now serves over a thousand non-English speaking refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers and their families, providing comprehensive mental health services through 18 treatment teams speaking 17 different languages. It was one of 20 programs competing for funding from the Torture Victims Relief Act 2003 (HR 1813). Passed last fall, the act authorized $20 million in 2004 and $25 million in 2005 to be divided among U.S. programs providing rehabilitative services programs for victims. “This patient population is the most economically vulnerable; most have no health coverage and don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid,” said Dr. Kinzie, “Our thanks to Sens. Smith and Wyden and Congressman Wu, who were instrumental in getting the bill approved. It is an important first step.”

“Although we cannot erase the emotional and physical horrors endured by torture victims, we can provide treatment to help them move forward and get beyond what they have suffered,” said U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, co-sponsor of the bill. “The services and treatment provided by OHSU's program gives hope to victims, their families and their communities for a brighter, freer future.”

Many torture treatment patients suffer from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, which may include recurring nightmares, flash backs, sleep loss, hyper-vigilance, fear of persecution, social withdrawal or depression, according to Paul Leung, M.D., director of IPP. “Some are torture survivors, while others have psychiatric disorders unrelated to being a refugee. Receiving this grant will allow us to provide services to some of the most vulnerable people in our refugee and immigrant communities.”

“Life for torture victims can never be the same, but treatment can restore them to be productive members of their families and communities. We owe them no less.” said Congressman David Wu.

“OHSU is upholding America's best values by providing support and care to victims of some of the most unspeakable acts of violence,” said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden. “The Torture Victim's Relief Act and OHSU's critical programs help heal torture victims' deepest invisible scars, and I commend OHSU for their efforts.”

ESTABLISHED IN 1977 to help refugees recover from the effects of war and torture, one of the primary goals of IPP is to treat refugees and asylum seekers from countries ravaged by civil war and political unrest. In 2000, IPP added the federally funded Torture Treatment Center of Oregon to increase outreach and rehabilitative services to traumatized and tortured refugee and asylum-seeking populations the IPP program had not yet been able to serve. Along with treatment, medical staff carry out research to study the effects of trauma and the effectiveness of the program's therapies.

IPP also includes an Intercultural Child Traumatic Stress Center, which provides patient care to refugee and immigrant children and families who have suffered from various forms of trauma.

More than 25 mental health counselors and 11 psychiatrists provide culturally sensitive treatment to approximately 1,124 patients. Services include psychiatric evaluations, medications, individual and group therapy, socialization therapy, help with finding a job, health care services and assistance with asylum.

For an outreach presentation about the repercussions of trauma and torture, please call Crystal Riley, (503) 494-6140, or email rileyc@ohsu.edu.