Supporting Latine Mental Health
The Latine/Latino community is very diverse and includes people from several different nations. The word typically refers to individuals from Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin/South America. While the Latine community may share a language and various attributes, it is important to acknowledge that these similarities cannot be reduced to any single trait or experience.
Within the United States, only 35.1% of Latine adults who need mental health support receive treatment each year compared to the national average of 46.2%. This disparity is most likely due to several intimidating barriers such as language, cultural norms, accessibility, legal status, religion, trauma, generational conflicts, and stigma. These structural challenges often prevent members of the community from pursuing help which forces them to suffer in silence. You Matter blogger Natalia details her experience with mental health care within the community here.
According to research, Latine adults and youth are more susceptible to mental distress relating to immigration and acculturation. Additionally, a shortage of bilingual or Spanish-speaking healthcare professionals continues to hinder Latines from receiving adequate mental health care. Bilingual patients are often evaluated differently in Spanish than they are in English. Lastly, Latine patients are given treatment less often than white patients are, further illustrating the systemic barriers working against them. It is important for members of the community to know that they are not alone.
Línea PAS is the Puerto Rico extension of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Línea PAS has served Puerto Rico for 22 years and is available 24/7. There are several components to Línea PAS, including a community outreach program, a mobile crisis intervention team, and a biosecurity response team. To learn more about Línea PAS, click here.
The list below contains a variety of mental health resources for the Latine community. For more information, visit NAMI’s page about the Latine community and mental health care.
Pieces from our You Matter bloggers centered around Latine Mental Health:
Alyssa’s Piece on Access to Mental Health Care
Ananya’s Piece on Culture and Mental Health
Matt J.’s Piece on Representation
Andres’ piece on Breaking Stigma and Resources
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Mental Health Support:
The Mental Health and Addiction Services Administration-Línea PAS
ASSMCA’s Línea PAS provides Puerto Rico with cost-effective, high-quality mental health care.
Mental Health America: Latinx/Hispanic Community (En español)
Mental Health America provides an overview of data about the mental health of the Lantinx/Hispanic community. MHA also has helpful resources for access to culturally competent care to appropriately serve the community.
Therapy For Latinx
Therapy For Latinx matches individuals with a Latine therapist to help the community heal, thrive, and become advocates for their own mental health.
Latinx Therapy
Latinx Therapy seeks to destigmatize mental health within the community by pairing individuals with culturally appropriate sliding-scale therapy.
National Alliance for Hispanic Health (En español)
The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is an organization that helps connect over 15 million Hispanic people per year in the United States to mental health services.
American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry
The American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry’s mission is to promote research, education, and clinical practice through a network of Hispanic mental health professionals.
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a non-profit nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing middle and lower-income level individuals, couples, families, and children with access to affordable psychotherapy and mental health education services. (cost range from $30-$60 for individual sessions).
The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN)
The NQTTCN focuses on providing mental health resources and advocacy for queer and trans people of color, offering a directory of culturally competent practitioners who understand and respect their diverse identities and experiences.
Community Support and Advocacy:
Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement (En español)
Familia: TQLM’s mission is to achieve collective liberation of trans, queer, and gender nonbinary Latinx individuals on a local and national level through building community, organizing, advocacy, and education.
Somos Familia (En español)
Somos Familia’s mission is to build leadership in Latine families and communities to create a culture where people of diverse genders and sexual orientations can thrive.
League of United Latin American Citizens
LULAC aims to reach Latine people across the United States and Puerto Rico to address health disparities in their communities by making education and resources more accessible.
Her Migrant Hub
Her Migrant Hub helps New Yorkers seek and receive care without fear of discrimination based on immigration status, age, gender, income, or sexual orientation.
Cultural Competency and Education:
The Center for Healing Racial Trauma
The Center for Healing Racial Trauma offers services and trainings designed to heal racially/ethnically marginalized people from Racism.
The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB) focuses on understanding what racism is, where it comes from, how it functions, why it persists, and how it can be undone. “Our workshops utilize a systemic approach that emphasizes learning from history, developing leadership, maintaining accountability to communities, creating networks, undoing internalized racial oppression, and understanding the role of organizational gatekeeping as a mechanism for perpetuating racism.”
Specialized Services:
Voces Latinas
Voces Latinas’s mission aims to reduce the rate of HIV transmission and violence among immigrant Latines by empowering, educating, and providing culturally and linguistically sensitive services.
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