The UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities collected input from more than 550 Latinos through community forums in 13 California cities and two high schools and created a report, “Community-Defined Solutions for Latino Mental Health Care Disparities.”
Participants identified six ways to improve access to existing mental health programs and services:
1. Establish school-based mental health programs to diagnose potential mental health issues early and educate students and families about mental health.
2. Increase collaboration among community-based organizations, schools and social services agencies, and coordinate and co-locate services to maximize resources and increase access to treatment.
3. Utilize mainstream and Latino community and social media to raise mental health awareness, reduce stigma and promote information and resources about early identification and intervention.
4. Develop and sustain a culturally competent mental health workforce consistent with the culture and language of Latino communities.
5. Foster culturally and linguistically appropriate treatment by communicating with consumers in ways that acknowledge their beliefs about mental health and increase their sense of comfort.
6. Provide resources for grassroots community outreach and engagement, including coordination with Latino leaders, and for tailoring recommendations from the UC Davis report for statewide dissemination to meet the health and mental health needs of the Latino community.
More Articles on Healthcare Disparities:
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Study Shows Significant Variation in Costs, Quality and Access Across Communities
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