Case Management for Immigrant Survivors of Torture: An Examination of HealthRight International’s Access to Support and Services for Survivors of Torture Program (ASSIST)

Abstract

Objectives This research seeks to determine what impact HealthRight International's Access to Support and Services for Survivors of Torture (ASSIST) remote case management program has on the physical, psychological, and social wellbeing of survivors of torture. Method A retrospective case record review was conducted of 54 adult foreign-born survivors of torture who received remote case management services through ASSIST. Survivors were interviewed at intake, and 6 months after the initial assessment, the Survivor of Torture Outcomes Matrix (SOT Matrix) was utilized to determine changes in well-being. Results Survivors report improved well-being along with 12 of the 14 indicators in the SOT Matrix between the initial assessment and the 6-month assessment. Conclusions Findings indicate that survivors report overall improved well-being after 6 months of receiving remote case management, pointing to remote case management as a promising practice which would allow increasing numbers of survivors who live far from traditional torture treatment centers to access specialized care.