Diversity is Center for Survivors of Torture's heritage and our future. Join us in being part of it.
At CST, diversity is an integral part of our history, culture, and identity. Inclusion is the way we treat and perceive all differences. We strive to create an inclusive culture where all forms of diversity are seen as real value for the organization and the community. Learn more about our mission, vision, and values here.
Survivors of torture were leaders in their home countries; they are educators, lawyers, journalists, doctors, nurses, scientists, engineers and others who worked for positive change. They are resilient and driven to succeed; they merely need help overcoming the after effects of torture. Those who come to the United States learn English, create businesses, and integrate into our communities.
The goal of Center for Survivors of Torture’s (CST) program is to assist survivors of torture and their families in the process of healing and recovery so they can attend to their health, begin the recovery process, discover and build new support networks, and lead productive, meaningful, and fulfilling lives. Since 1997, 8400 survivors and their families received integrated services to in Texas, including trauma-informed, client-centered psychological, legal, medical and social services as well as training, basic needs, referrals to services and resources. CST is the sole provider of strength-based free long-term torture treatment services throughout the 266,874 square miles of Texas, including Dallas, Austin, and satellite offices in Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program
Center for Survivors of Torture’s new “Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program” is designed to help eligible Afghans overcome severe, pervasive, and long-lasting combat-related trauma and facilitate their achievement of sustained physical, social, emotional, and economic goals and well-being. CST provides access to and engagement with effective, holistic, strengths-based, and trauma-informed services, including medical, psychological, and social work services. The program is funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Contact Joseph Reis, Clinical Case Manager, to set up an appointment. [email protected]
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How Your Donation Helps
While our clients have often endured the unimaginable, we are constantly amazed by the capacity of the human spirit to heal, forgive, and seek happiness. Your gift can help them on their journey.
Click here to read former Board Chair Paige Gibson’s “Why I Still Give to CST” letter.
- Gifts a Survivor a warm blanket for the winter
- Gifts 1 week of groceries to a Survivor
- Gifts a Survivor a Chromebook for education
- Gifts 3 months of emergency housing assistance
How Your Donation Helps
While our clients have often endured the unimaginable, we are constantly amazed by the capacity of the human spirit to heal, forgive, and seek happiness. Your gift can help them on their journey.
Click here to read former Board Chair Paige Gibson’s “Why I Still Give to CST” letter.
- Gifts a Survivor a warm blanket for the winter
- Gifts 1 week of groceries to a Survivor
- Gifts a Survivor a Chromebook for education
- Gifts 3 months of emergency housing assistance
Videos
Watch some of our latest videos below, and subscibe to follow CST on YouTube.
Our services
CST provides wraparound services, which have been a best practice for many decades, and treat the whole client in the context of being an individual, a member of a family, a part of a culture and a survivor of repeated trauma, in a culturally competent manner.
Counseling
Evaluation, diagnosis and treatment with individual, group and family therapy: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused approaches
Forensic Reports
Clinical evidence
Medical care
Diagnosis, treatment, pain reduction, wound care, physiotherapy, prescriptions
Training
Training those who are interested in providing services to survivors
FY 2021, CST served 815 clients and their families in Texas,
ages 4-78 from 54 countries and 42 ethnicities.
Outcomes
CST treatment is extremely effective. From impact assessment, 82% of clients meet their counseling goals within six months. They resolve grief and trauma and integrate their experiences into the larger context of their full potential.
In a one-year period, we expect to achieve:
%
of individuals will meet their counseling goals within six months—they will be able to eat, sleep without nightmares, concentrate and feel joy again
%
of children will demonstrate a reduction of symptoms as evidenced on the Children’s Depression Inventory 2 after 6 months or less of counseling
%
of clients who need medical care and medications will receive it from CST and/or referrals to other providers
%
of clients reported improved mental and physical health and quality of life through our goal-oriented services
How Many Survivors of Torture are there in the United States?
A meta-analysis of previous research studies on torture prevalence rates within refugee populations in the United States revealed that as many as 44% of refugees are either primary or secondary survivors of torture.¹ Applying the 44% torture prevalence rate to the overall number of refugees who have been resettled in the past 30 years, there could be as many as 1.3 million survivors of torture in the United States and 90,000 in Texas.
1 Center for Victims of Torture, “Updating the Estimate of Refugees Resettled in the United States who have Suffered Torture,” (Sept. 2015). http://www.cvt.org/sites/cvt.org/files/SurvivorNumberMetaAnalysis_Sept2015_0.pdf
How Many Survivors of Torture are there in the United States?
A meta-analysis of previous research studies on torture prevalence rates within refugee populations in the United States revealed that as many as 44% of refugees are either primary or secondary survivors of torture.¹ Applying the 44% torture prevalence rate to the overall number of refugees who have been resettled in the past 30 years, there could be as many as 1.3 million survivors of torture in the United States and 90,000 in Texas.
1 Center for Victims of Torture, “Updating the Estimate of Refugees Resettled in the United States who have Suffered Torture,” (Sept. 2015). http://www.cvt.org/sites/cvt.org/files/SurvivorNumberMetaAnalysis_Sept2015_0.pdf
Longer-term Program Impact and Successes
Nearly twenty-three years ago, Congress passed the first Torture Victims Relief Act (PL 105–320—OCT. 30, 1998) with strong bipartisan support, recognizing impact of torture commonly leads survivors to demonstrate symptoms such as chronic pain, sleep disorders, severe depression and anxiety, deterioration of physical health and suicidal ideation. Today, thousands of torture survivors around the world depend on this lifesaving assistance, even though needs continue to far exceed available resources.
Longer-term program success for clients and the community includes improved mental health and quality of life, wellness, self-sufficiency, English proficiency, educational achievement, employment, economic status, support systems, civic involvement, general health status, housing, relationships, and impact on future generations.
%
of clients became proficient in English
%
of clients reported having an established support network
%
of clients were able to implement skills learned at CST in other settings
%
of clients reported improved mental and physical health and quality of life through our goal-oriented services
Thirty-two Percent of CST’s Clients are Children
Their needs are immense and unique. The horrors endured by refugee children mandate that counseling begin as soon as possible. CST program goals are to help children process the trauma, heal physically and emotionally, improve family relationships, acculturate and become ready for formal education in public schools. CST achieves these goals through a well-designed program of counseling in schools, other agencies and in our office, medical care, education, and case management.
People at CST have been so caring. Before arriving at the Center, I was hopeless. I wouldn’t sleep or eat. Now, my life is better.
GET INVOLVED
Locations
CST provides services in Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
To make a referral for any location, please call (512) 358-4612
Dallas
4108 Swiss Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
Phone: (214) 827-2314
Monday through Saturday,
9:00am – 5:00pm
Austin
9415 Burnet Road, Suite #201
Austin, TX 78758
Phone: (512) 358-4612
Monday through Friday,
9:00am – 6:00pm
San Antonio Satellite Office
590 N. General McMullen
Suite 3
San Antonio, Texas 78228
Phone: (210) 434-1054
Fridays, 1:00-7:00pm or by appointment
Fort Worth Office in Refugee Services of Texas
4200 South Freeway
Fort Worth, Texas 76115
Phone: (817) 413-3772
Thursdays, 9:00am – 5:00pm