Meeting of the Needs Assessment Committee
Co-Chairs: Emma Kaywin, Rasheed Ford
December 11, 2025 2:00 – 3:24 PM
By Zoom Video Conference:
(https://health-nyc.zoomgov.com/j/16087736946?omn=1609488893)
Members Present: Emma Kaywin (Co-Chair), Rasheed Ford (Co-Chair), Billy Fields, John Schoepp, Marcy Sedlacek, Jorge Benitez, Jennifer Irwin, Fay Barrett, Arthur Fitting, Susan Mellender, Raffi Babakhanian, Vanessa Decamps
Staff Present: NYC DOHMH: David Klotz (Governmental Co-chair), Doienne Saab, Laura Moya Adames, Abraham Omeyoma, Adriana Eppinger-Meiering, Joahnna Acosta, Karen Ortiz, Thierry Amegnona Ekon;CHAIN:Maiko Yomogida
Other Planning Council Member Present: Annette Tomlin
Guests: Renae Badruzzaman – Project Director of Health Instead of Punishment, Health in Partnership
Agenda Item #1: Welcome/Roll Call/Moment of Silence/Announcements
The meeting was opened, with Co-chair Emma K. welcoming attendees. Laura M. A. conducted the roll call, acknowledging the presence of members, staff, and guests. Abraham O. led the moment of silence, reflecting on World AIDS Day and honoring those impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Agenda Item #2: Meeting Minutes
November meeting minutes were acknowledged and approved with no changes.
Agenda Item #3: Guest Presentation – Public Health Guide for Immigration Justice.
Presenter: Renae A. Badruzzaman, Health Instead of Punishment Project Director, Health in Partnership (Formerly Human Impact Partners)
Renae B. provided an in-depth presentation on the health impacts of immigration enforcement and detention, emphasizing the following:
- Health Harms of Immigration Detention: Increased anxiety, depression, PTSD, physical health deterioration, and an increased spread of infectious diseases and worsening chronic conditions due to poor living standards in detention centers.
- Impact of Deportation: Mental health challenges for families and communities. Negative birth outcomes and increased cardiovascular risks.
- Recommendations for Public Health Action:
- Rejecting 287G agreements and promoting sanctuary policies.
- Preventing ICE surveillance in healthcare settings by clearly separating private and public spaces within the organization’s building.
- Supporting rapid response efforts and Know Your Rights trainings.
- Promoting transformative policy changes and narrative strategies to counter anti-immigration rhetoric.
- Collaborating with immigrant justice organizations
After the presentation committee members engaged in a robust discussion, highlighting key concerns and proposing strategies:
- Challenges: Fear and misinformation among immigrant communities, potentially leading to increased difficulty in accessing services due to ICE activity.
- Proposed Framework to Approach the Issue:
- Treating immigrant outreach with the same urgency as COVID outreach during the 2020 pandemic, including discreet methods of communication and support, such as: sliding supportive information under doors, keeping data collection vague to protect clients, etc.
- Learning from the Green Book used by Black Americans to identify safe spaces, adapting it for undocumented communities.
- Proposed Solutions:
- Expanding telehealth and home-based services.
- Employing community health workers and peers from immigrant communities to foster trust in service and health providers.
- Leveraging Community Advisory Boards (CABs) to disseminate information and build trust.
- Shared Resources:
- Susan M. highlighted the hotline for the NY Department of State’s Office of New Americans as a confidential, multilingual resource.
- Renae B. shared the following:
- The NY Dignity Not Detention initiative, which allows individuals and organizations to support the banning of for-profit detention activities in NY.
- Public Health Awakened, a national network of public health professionals dedicated to organizing for health, equity, and justice.
- Health In Partnership’s Public Health Action Guide and Talking Points for Immigration Justice.
Next Steps for the Needs Assessment Committee:
- Gathering input from clients and providers.
- Incorporating legal perspectives into our knowledge bank to promote compliance and protection when issuing the updated recommendations.
Agenda Item #4: Public Comment
John S. invited members to attend the upcoming Consumers Committee meeting to further discuss immigration-related issues. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th from 2:00PM to 4:00PM.
Adjournment
Laura Moya Adames concluded the meeting, thanking members for their participation and engagement. Members were reminded of the next NAC meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026.
