Ayub Shah, 25, remembers spending the majority of his late teenage years curled up in a blanket in his bedroom, struggling with his mental health.
His family never asked what was wrong, and he didn’t feel comfortable talking to his parents about what he was experiencing. Certain topics — such as anxiety and depression — were not spoken about openly in his Pakistani culture and Islamic faith, Shah said.
“In Pakistani society, when they think of mental health, they think, ‘He’s crazy or he’s just stupid,’” he said. “(Family) doesn’t think it’s a real thing. They think it’s in your head and to just pray and everything will be good. I don’t argue with them.”
Help is available
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Languages: English, Spanish
Available 24/7
Shah said he started to experience suicidal thoughts in 2019 but was afraid to ask his parents for money to see a counselor. He sought help from the Muslim Community Center for Human Services, a nonprofit in Richland Hills. His first visit was life-changing, Shah said.
“The really nice doctor listened and she didn’t judge,” he said. “She was Muslim, and I was thinking, ‘She’s going to be conservative.’ But she was very helpful … I definitely cried.”
Tarrant County residents like Shah have sought health care from the Muslim community center for nearly 30 years. Founded in 1995, the health nonprofit has strived to provide the Muslim community with “culturally sensitive” services.
“The gist of (Islam) is to help people,” said Dr. Basheer Ahmed, founder and executive director of the nonprofit. “It’s time for Muslims to do something.”
Addressing spiritual, health care needs in Tarrant County
The Muslim Community Center for Human Services operates three service branches: the Al-Shifa Medical Clinic, the Mental Health and Counseling Clinic, and the Tahira Begum Dental Clinic. The Al-Shifa Clinic is one of 1,400 in the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics.
Aside from the $25 to $30 administration fee, services are free.
Click here to see the nonprofit’s complete service options.
Physicians volunteer to work on Saturdays, and a part-time physician sees patients at the clinic twice a week. Medical equipment is donated by physicians and hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Even though the nonprofit was originally founded to serve the Islamic community, its services are open to anyone. Over 31,000 people in Tarrant County are Muslim, according to 2020 data from The Association of Religion Data Archives. The Al-Shifa Clinic sees about 1,500 patients a year, not including counseling, said Ahmed.
Across Tarrant County, 19.9% of residents under 65 live without health coverage, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the past five years, the percentage of residents without coverage has stayed consistently between 16% and 18.5%.
Often, limited access to health care is caused by transportation or travel distance issues, access to primary care providers, a lack of coverage and low income, Dr. Christina Robinson, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, previously told the Report.
Rebecca Padilla, who manages counseling, refugee services, domestic violence and crisis assistance at the Muslim Community Center for Human Services, said the clinic has been the perfect place for her to help underserved communities through a culturally competent lens.
“I’m an immigrant, and I’m very comfortable helping people that are immigrants because I’m pretty aware of the culture,” she said.
Financial struggles and road to recovery
As a nonprofit, the Muslim community center relies on the help of volunteers, donations and grants to maintain its services. Over the past year, the nonprofit has been recovering from a financial hit after it found out it would not be able to renew an $80,000 grant from the state-funded Crime Victims Assistance Grant Program, which offers financial assistance to organizations that provide services to crime victims, Ahmed said.
“We didn’t know the reason, and because of that loss, suddenly, we had a big financial crisis,” Ahmed said.
The nonprofit had the three-year grant until August 2023, Ahmed said.
Without adequate funding, the organization has temporarily closed its dental clinic. However, the nonprofit has been able to refer patients to dentists who volunteer their time and are willing to provide the same care, Ahmed said.
Sameer Ahmed, chair of the board for the Muslim Community Center for Human Services, said he hopes the nonprofit will be able to reopen its dental clinic soon and launch satellite and mobile clinics to bring health care to people’s doors.
“We can go to a church or a mosque or a synagogue so we can treat people. At least have something rather than nothing,” Sameer Ahmed said.
He said the board of the nonprofit has discussed changing the community center’s name in hopes of receiving more funding. He opposes the idea.
“Sometimes, people are hesitant to give money since it’s Muslim because of everything that’s going on right now,” Sameer Ahmed said. “It’s important to show that even in our religion, our goal is to help people, so we want that name.”
As for Shah, he’s been receiving mental health services from the center off and on for the past five years. The clinic has supported him through his depression and anxiety, he said.
Shah has found joy in taking care of himself physically, he said, and is running a new business alongside his brother and talking to people he meets.
“It makes me smile that I’m doing something that I always wanted to do,” he said. “It’s hard, but I think I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports on X.
Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org or @marissaygreene.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.
