Fall Telecommunications Internship
The Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture is seeking a
motivated and well-organized student to aid communications
coordinator of non-profit with web development. An ideal candidate
would be interested in media and communications as well as Human
Rights and Immigration issues in New York and the US.
Duties would include: adding new components to website
www.survivorsoftorture.org such as a video player and discussion
board, collaborating with communications coordinator to develop new
pages for website. She/he will also reach out to bloggers who can
post links to our website on their pages and vice versa.
Application instructions:
If interested, please send a resume and two references to Nadja
Michel-Herf at Nadja.Michel-Herf@nyumc.org. Feel free to contact her
at 212-994-7173 with any further questions.
HISTORY
The Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture (PSOT) was
established in 1995 by medical and mental health professionals at
Bellevue Hospital as the first program in New York to address the
complex needs of torture survivors.
We are the only comprehensive torture treatment center in the New
York City area, providing medical and mental health care, as well as
social and legal services to survivors of torture and war traumas and
their family members.
PSOT is the only program in the nation that has developed and
implemented treatment services for Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender
(LGBT) survivors of torture, addressing the particular challenging
intersection of immigration issues, persecution, trauma, and sexual
identity.
VITAL STATISTICS
In the past year we provided multidisciplinary services to 581 people
from 70 countries.
More than 400,000 torture survivors are estimated to reside in the
United States.
Of these, 75,000 to 90,000 are estimated to live in the New York
metropolitan area, possibly making New York home to more survivors of
torture than anywhere else in the nation.
Since the Program began we have assisted in obtaining grants of
asylum for 669 clients. This year alone, as of July 14, 2008, 61
clients have been granted asylum. Approximately 96% of our eligible
clients are granted asylum after joining our program.
To date, approximately 300 health professionals in training have
received extensive clinical experience with our Program and are now
working throughout the U.S. applying their skills in caring for
traumatized immigrant populations.
462 First Avenue ∙ CD 732 ∙ New York, NY 10016
(t) 212 683 7446 ∙ (f) 212 994 7177
www.survivorsoftorture.org
DEMOGRAPHICS
Among our new clients, 43% are West African, 23% East Asian, 15%
Central African, 4% Eastern European, 4 % South and Central American,
3% from the Former Soviet Union, 1.4 % Middle Eastern, and 1.3% North
African. This is consistent with the Program’s historical client
population. Also consistent was that 66% of new clients were male and
34% were female. Of these new clients 43% were Muslim, 24% Christian,
and 28.8% Buddhist and 40.5% represented other religions.
PROGRAMS
We consider patients within the context of their total experience and
circumstances to provide well-informed treatment planning and useful
therapeutic services. Our team comprises physicians, psychologists,
psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, administrative staff,
community liaisons, and volunteers such as English teachers and
client chaperones. We have found that the medical, mental health,
social and legal difficulties clients face are typically
interrelated. Our Program operates from the premise that our clients
are individuals with resources and assets that helped them survive
the traumatic events that they experienced and that can be mobilized
to help them as they rebuild their lives in the United States. If
given support and relief from immediate stressors, most survivors can
mobilize their inherent capacities for adjusting, healing and coping.
462 First Avenue ∙ CD 732 ∙ New York, NY 10016
(t) 212 683 7446 ∙ (f) 212 994 7177
www.survivorsoftorture.org
ADVISORY BOARD
PSOT’s 10-member advisory board includes the Chief Financial
Officer, Barclay Investments; President, Great Oaks Capital
Management; President and Chief Operating Officer, UGONetworks;
President, Absolute Travel; Founding General Partner , OrbiMed;
former Vice-President and Deputy General Counsel, Hachette Book Group
USA; along with representatives from Cohen Pontani Lieberman & Pavane
LLP; Skadden, Aarps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and a former United
Nations Peacekeeper.
AWARDS
Dr. Keller, program director and other program staff have received
several awards including the Roger E. Joseph Prize from Hebrew Union
College, the National Association of Public Hospitals’ Vulnerable
Population Award, the Barbara Chester Award from the Hopi Foundation,
Robin Hood Foundation’s “New York Hero” award, the Early Career Award
at Columbia Teachers College, and Common Cause’s “Ethical New York”
award.
FINANCIALS
PSOT has an annual budget of $1.5 million dollars.
In 2008 our sources of funding include:
The U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement
The United Nations
The Robin Hood Foundation
The Open Society Institute
New York Community Trust
The Stephen and May Cavin Leeman Foundation
In Kind Support from Bellevue Hospital and NYU School of Medicine
Donations from several corporations and law firms
Donations from individual donors
462 First Avenue ∙ CD 732 ∙ New York, NY 10016
(t) 212 683 7446 ∙ (f) 212 994 7177
www.survivorsoftorture.org
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