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Mental Health Resources for the Latino Community

  • September 15, 2020
  • Diverse populations, Patients and Families

There are more than 60 million Hispanic/Latino individuals in the U.S., making up about 18% of the population. Latinos have experienced disproportionate economic, physical, and mental health impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half (55%) of Latinos have suffered economic consequences and about 40% of Latinos report experiencing stress, anxiety, or great sadness due to the pandemic.1

Several organizations have developed resources to help address mental health needs among Latinos with targeted mental health information and services. They offer the ability to search for Hispanic/Latino therapists, listen to podcasts from Latino mental health experts, find support groups and access wellness apps or informational resources in English or Spanish.

For example, Therapy for Latinx seeks to overcome mental health stigma in the Latino community by providing access to therapists that understand the culture and “that look and talk like you.” The website also offers helpful advice of choosing a therapist, such as asking about specialties, insurance, payment, their values on issues like social justice and other concerns or questions. In a partnership with Mental Health America, the site offers mental health screenings for depression, anxiety and other conditions.

Inclusive Therapists offers the ability to “find a therapist that celebrates your identity.” It allows for searching based on a therapist’s cultural identity or cultural knowledge, (Latinx/Latin American cultures and others), and on a variety of other features such as spiritual/religious knowledge, therapeutic approach, language, and more.

Latinx Therapy offers a directory of Latinx therapists searchable by specific cultural identity (such as Columbian, Mexican or AfroLatinx). It also airs a weekly podcast with Adriana Alejandre, LMFT, discussing mental health topics with mental health professionals, doctors, social media influencers, entrepreneurs and others. The website provides links to wellness resources, including other podcasts and mental health apps in English and Spanish.

The Psychology Today Find a Therapist site offers a specific page to Find a Hispanic and Latino Therapist. It provides the ability to filter the search by the type of mental health issue and type of treatment and to search for support groups and treatment centers.

The Ayana app facilitates access to online mental health therapy for marginalized and intersectional communities. It was developed to address the “lack of engagement between minorities and the mental health care industry which arises as a result of cost, stigma, and lack of cultural competency.” Through the app, users complete a detailed questionnaire and, based on the individual’s unique traits, values, and experiences, an algorithm matches the user with a licensed professional for online therapy.

References

  1. Commonwealth Fund, Black and Latino Americans Face Greater Mental Health, Economic Challenges from COVID-19 Than White Americans, September 10, 2020
  2. Pew Research Center, U.S. Hispanic population surpassed 60 million in 2019, but growth has slowed. July 7, 2020. (Luis Noe-Bustamante, Mark Hugo Lopez and Jens Manuel Krogstad)
  3. Each Mind Matters. Hispanic Heritage Month: Focus on Latino Mental Health, Guest blog by: Teresa Chapa.

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