ACCESSIBLE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE LATINX COMMUNITY
May is a time to raise awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health issues and to help reduce the stigma surrounding the topic. For quite some time, the idea of Mental health and mental illness has been stigmatized in our society, especially in the Latino community. Thankfully, the conversation surrounding mental health has become mainstream, lessening its taboo. Now more than ever, resources are more accessible and approachable to marginalized communities.
WHAT WE’RE DOING TO SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS
Our organization is constantly adjusting our services to ensure we provide what is necessary to our community and their evolving needs. Recently, Latino Network hired two Disability Justice Coordinators who work in our Early Childhood Services Program. These positions allow us to broaden the community we can serve by providing services to families with disabilities, Including parents and children who are neurodivergent.
Internally, we have recently teamed up with Savor Lining to provide our staff members with a “Mindsculpt” class about finding joy. This class, hosted by a licensed therapist, focused on how to be more intentional and joyful each day. By providing our staff members with tools for mental wellness, we can help build a community that can live fulfilled lives.
BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS TO ACCESS
Looking past the stigma surrounding mental health in our community, we still face institutional and systemic barriers that impede our access to mental health services.
Some of these barriers may include legal status, language differences, and the overall cultural competency of providers.
Thankfully many organizations are starting to recognize these barriers due to the work of people who have advocated for the Latinx community’s right to proper mental health care. Today, several resources connect our community members to culturally specific providers that can more adequately meet our community needs.
The resources below will help you find someone that meets your needs regardless of your spoken language, legal status, or financial situation.
United We Dream Mental Health Directory
United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country. Their UndocuHealth initiative provides several different resources to inform our community on the importance of mental health and connect our community with accessible resources.
Their mental health directory connects immigrants to mental health service providers who provide culturally-specific low-cost or pro-bono services classified by state.
Therapy for Latinx
Therapy For Latinx provides resources for the Latinx Community to heal, thrive, and become advocates for their mental health. It is a directory that connects Latinx people to therapists who may better understand their lived experiences.
Use this website to find a therapist who identifies as Latinx or works closely with Latinx communities and understands their needs. The website is also available in Spanish.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 or 988
The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
Crisis Text Line
A free crisis text line is available to Oregonians who need immediate assistance with behavioral health support. If someone is in crisis, they can text OREGON to 741741, and they will receive a text response from a live, trained crisis counselor who can help them. The line is available 24/7.