Welcome back to a new academic year. This September, we will be welcoming our first class of Genetic Counseling students and our first class of PhD in Health Professions Education students to the IHP. We will also be welcoming our largest class of PhD students in Rehabilitation Science. Including the master’s in nursing and speech-language pathology programs, and the certificate and non-degree programs, 346 new students are joining the IHP this fall.
The start of the new academic year has always been a particularly exciting time for me. When I was a young faculty member, the new year meant a chance to start over with new learners who were open to new ideas and who had experiences that made the classroom a dynamic and exciting place. As an administrator, knowing the promise of each new academic year and having the opportunity to engage with students, faculty, and staff as they plan for a new year is a gift that I always appreciate.
While the IHP is alive with the excitement of new students, new opportunities, and new adventures, we, as a country, have been struggling with the grim realities of what is occurring at the border and with the policies that disenfranchise the most vulnerable in our communities. For the past several months, we have heard stories about the horrible conditions that individuals, some of whom have traveled thousands of miles to come to America, are being detained in. The conditions are described as crowded, and unsanitary, with an odor that permeates the environment. As a human rights issue, we should be concerned about the health status of each one of these individuals. The House has put forth a resolution that requires each individual entering the country have a complete medical screening that includes documentation of medical complaints and health status. While this is a beginning, it is not enough. The health of our communities and our country depends on healthy members and we have a responsibility to help those entering the U.S.
Of particular concern are the children who have fled challenging situations at home, only to come to the U.S. to sometimes be separated from their families and be detained far longer than policies permit. In addition to the unsanitary health conditions these children experience, their young lives are being marred by the toxic stress of being separated from their families and housed in detention facilities not designed for children. Clinicians know that toxic stress can have an effect for a lifetime by influencing brain development and impairing mental, emotional and physical health. Once again, our responsibility as a country is to care for the most vulnerable among us, the children, with compassion.
To add to the immigration challenges, most recently there has been a renewed call for the application of an expanded version of the public charge test to decide whether a person can enter the U.S. or get a green card. Under the public charge test, immigration officials examine a person’s circumstances (health, age, income, assets, family to support, or family who will support them) to determine if they are likely to depend on government assistance in the future or could use public assistance like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid in the future. If the immigration official determines that the immigrant will use public assistance programs in the future, they can refuse the individual’s application to enter the U.S. or get a green card. Once again, we are faced with a rule that destabilizes the immigrant population and creates a situation where needed care and resources feel out of reach for individuals who need support.
So, what does all this have to do with us? Our mission at the IHP is to advance care for a diverse society through education, clinical practice, research, and community engagement. The entire IHP community is sensitive and responsive to those in need in our communities. As health care providers and health care providers in training, we hold professional values that define a commitment to provide compassion and care to those who need it. This is what defines us as a unique academic institution committed to the education of health professionals. As fellow humans, we have a responsibility to provide support for all members of our society.
While I know the challenges we face in society will not be solved in the short term, I also know that we can contribute to the health of our community through community service, policy advocacy, and remaining informed on the key issues affecting health care. Our voices, individually and collectively, can make a difference. Our environment can be welcoming and supportive for all of our members and our education can empower us to be leaders in our communities. We at the IHP can be the voices that will shape a better health care delivery system, healthier communities, and a more compassionate country.
I look forward to having a great academic year with you.