Lack Of Refugees Leads To Closure Of Touhy Health Center

CHICAGO — A sharp decline in the number of refugees allowed into the United States has led a hospital group to announce the closure of a health clinic after 45 years. Sinai Health System announced it plans to shutter its Touhy Health Center at 2901 W. Touhy Ave. on Dec. 31. The clinic provided health screening and clinic programs through its refugee health program since 1973.

At one point, 60 percent of all refugees in the state came to the Touhy Heath Center. But changes to federal immigration policy under President Donald Trump have significantly reduced the number of patients for its refugee screening and clinic programs. Two years ago, the clinic saw 2,000 patients a year. That number is down has fallen to fewer than 500 this year.

“Federal immigration policy decisions have effectively closed the door to refugees coming to the United States, meaning fewer and fewer patients seeking care at clinics like Touhy," said Sinai President and CEO Karen Teitelbaum. "We held off on any action for as long as we could, hoping for a reversal or stabilization of the immigration activity. With none in sight, and with the clinic requiring a large subsidy, we had to make the decision to close the clinic and transition care to other agencies. We were left with little choice.”

The closure of the clinic will result in between $600,000 and $800,000 for Sinai, the health system said in a release. It said it would be working with the Illinois Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services to transition its current patients to other providers and to find work for the 15 employees of the clinic.

Not only did the program focus on treating refugees, it also provided training and job opportunities. The Touhy clinic allowed patients to receive health care, testing and other services in their native language and with sensitivity to their culture, according to the health system.

The Touhy clinic has provided care for more than 100,000 patients from Somalia, Tibet, Russia, Rwanda and elsewhere throughout its history, according to a Change.org petition seeking to save the clinic. It said the unique health center offers services in dozens of languages and has the only psychiatrist north of downtown who accepts public aid.

"While we’re saddened by the federal policy direction that has led to this difficult decision," Teitelbaum said in a release, "We will continue to be a staunch advocate for initiatives that support the health and welfare of these patients and families.”