Seneca’s Todo Por Mi Familia provides mental health services and support to children and families separated at the U.S. border

Imagine starting a perilous journey with your family with nothing but the clothes on your back, your child’s hand clutched in your own and the hope of a better life. You reach the starting point of this “better life” only to have your child taken from you, and you are not reunited with your child for months. Even if you do eventually end up together, your family has experienced extensive trauma from this forced separation.

This was the experience of thousands of families affected by the U.S. Department of Justice’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, implemented on May 7, 2018.

Seneca Family of Agencies, a nonprofit mental health agency with Bay Area roots, made an explicit commitment to do whatever it takes to support those who cross our border, particularly those who journeyed to the U.S. only to be met with unfathomable harm via the Zero Tolerance Family Separation policy. Though many of our services have long benefited immigrants, asylum-seekers, and newcomers, Seneca directly advocated for justice through support of a class action lawsuit for the thousands of immigrant families who suffered as a result of this family separation policy. Our mental health professionals acted as pro bono expert witnesses and consultants, providing key research on the effects of trauma, the impact of family separation, and the critical need for therapeutic services for all those involved.

In May 2019 Judge John A. Kronstadt ordered the federal government to provide immediate mental health screenings and treatment to the thousands of immigrant families who suffered as a result of this family separation policy. From this decision, Seneca was entrusted with a contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to connect families with free, confidential, culturally and linguisticallysensitive mental health services. Within days, Todo Por Mi Familia was launched.

Seneca’s Todo Por Mi Familia (“All For My Family”) team has worked tirelessly to locate families that were separated at the border and connect them with the mental health services they so critically need and deserve. Through our work, we have listened to families share their experiences of separation and have been in awe of their resiliency. We have provided basic needs that often exceed the parameters of our contract, engaged our community to rally around the families served by this initiative, and shared the heartache and triumph of this work with a global audience in partnership with celebrity advocates and renowned media outlets.

In one memorable instance, Seneca’s Outreach Coordinators located a mother and young daughter living on opposite sides of the country as a result of their forced separation. The family desperately wanted to be together but were unable to afford airfare. Seneca donors sprang to action and provided funds to purchase two tickets on the first flight available for the young girl and her social worker. On Christmas Eve, 2020, the mother and daughter embraced for the first time since being separated. We wept alongside them.

Seneca is driven by a core commitment to do whatever it takes to support young people and families in times of struggle, crisis, disenfranchisement, or marginalization. Todo Por Mi Familia is an extension of this work, and the stories we bear witness to remind us that while reunification may be the first step toward healing, it does not remedy the trauma of separation. Our work continues, as thousands more families remain separated and in need of support. The task is herculean, but the promise is simple: We see you, we support you, we will do everything we can to nurture your healing, and we will do it all for your family.

Seneca’s team has connected over 1,000 families so far, and enlisted more than 250 providers to help. Todo Por Mi Familia embodies Seneca’s vision of supporting children, empowering families, and advocating for traditionally unserved and underserved communities.

If you are looking for an opportunity to make a lasting difference for families in your community, consider a position at Seneca. Seneca’s nationally recognized training center will take your career to the next level in the field of trauma, attachment, and children’s mental health. If you’re looking to join a collaborative team of individuals who are passionate about mental health — you’ve found it. We are currently hiring social workers, therapists, program leaders, and Bachelor’s level counselors and administrative support. Browse Seneca’s career opportunities at www.senecafoa.org and submit your application today!