Addressing Mental Health Challenges through Community Engagement: A Multi-level Approach to Depression among Latino Immigrants in Baltimore
Project Summary
This project seeks to increase access to care for the prevention and treatment of depression for Latino immigrants living in Baltimore City. Depression is ubiquitous in the United States and many sufferers face barriers to accessing mental health care including provider shortages, time constraints, insurance and stigma related to mental health issues. Immigrants face additional challenges to accessing care as a result of ineligibility for insurance and the dearth of linguistically and culturally concordant healthcare services.
A coordinated effort on the part of healthcare providers and community members is critical in order to increase and enhance depression care for Baltimore’s immigrant Latino community, a vital and rapidly growing population. Since 2013, Johns Hopkins Centro SOL has been at the forefront of providing and expanding access to equitable care and health services for limited English Proficiency (LEP) Latino immigrants in Baltimore.
In this project Johns Hopkins Centro SOL intends to convene a network of stakeholders throughout Baltimore to accomplish three specific aims:
1) To reduce stigma and increase mental health literacy;
2) To pilot and evaluate evidence-based, feasible and sustainable mental health services for depression; and
3) To develop and disseminate the Latino Mental Health Equity Strategy: Opportunities for Lay-Led Interventions for Depression.
Project Details
| Principal Investigator | Funder |
|---|---|
| Polk, Sarah – MD, MSH | The Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation |
| Department | Project Start Date |
| Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine | 01/01/2019 |
| Co – Investigator | Project End Date |
| Platt, Rheanna – MD, MPH | 12/31/2023 |
| Other Co – Investigators | Team Members |
| Joo, Jin Hui – MD, MA Page, Kathleen – MD Grieb, Suzanne – PhD |
Sanchez Gonzalez, Mayra – Clinical Supervisor
Guerrero Vazquez, Monica MPH, MS – Staff, Executive Manager Maksym, Marzena, MA – Staff, Reserach Program Coordinator Inaugural collaborators: Whitney Visker (CHW), Islas, Lucia (CHW), Han Castanedo (Graphic Designer), Cecilia Suarez (Consultant Clinical Supervisor) |
| Contact Information | |
| Email: centrosolmh@jhmi.edu Calls: 410-550-4115 Text Messages: (443)406-6648 |
Project Progress
Video was launched during the conference on May 19, 2022.
Events
Building a Mental Health Network of Support: Informed Services for Uninsured Latinos, 40th NAMI Maryland Annual Conference
Latino Mental Health Symposium, Monday May 16th, 1:00PM-6:00PM (in person only)
What is depression? A photo expo Monday October 3, 12pm (in person).
Latino Mental Health Conference, Thursday May 19th, 8:00AM-1:00PM (in person or virtual).
Dissemination
October 2022
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Building a Mental Health Network of Support: Informed Services for Uninsured Latinos, 40th NAMI Maryland Annual Conference.
March 2022
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Healing City Baltimore Summit 2022 – Healing Through Hope & Connection in Baltimore by Monica Guerrero Vazquez, Salud Publica.
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Facebook Live conversations with experts about mental health in the Latino community – ¿Cómo te ayudan las conexiones a superar el estrés?
February 2022
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Facebook Live Conversations with experts about mental health in the Latino community – Donde podemos buscar ayuda
January 2022
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Facebook Live conversations with experts about mental health in the Latino community.
December 2021
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Mundo Latino Mental health series – Cuidando de ti misma estás ayudando a tu bebé. Aprende sobre la depresión perinatal (p.18) by Rheanna Platt
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Facebook Live conversation with experts about mental health in the Latino community – La depresión y las fiestas
November 2021
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Mundo Latino Mental health series – La depresión afecta a los latinos en Baltimore (p.16) by Mayra Sanchez Gonzalez
October 2021
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Mundo Latino Mental health series – first printed materials published
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Facebook Live conversations with experts about mental health in the Latino community in colaboration with NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore
September 2021
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September 2021 – Steering Committee meeting, strategic meeting with Latino Mental Health Network subcommittee members
May 2021
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May 2021 – Stigma Campaign Fortalece tu Bienestar launch events
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May 2021 – Radiante & mindfulness program to create awareness about mental health
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May 2021 – Stigma Campaign Fortalece tu Bienestar, to end the stigma around depression
April 2021
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April 2021 – Mental Health Ambassadors Program – read about the multi-tier approach to address mental health needs in the Latino community
2019
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November 2019 – Mothers and Babies Course – Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders delivered on November 1, 2019 (restricted access). To request access please contact project information.
More information about this project dissemination:
If your organization or community is interested in hosting an expo about mental health similar to the ones we organized, please reach out to centrosolmh@jhmi.edu
Publications
Reports
Action Plan “Community-centered Mental Health innovations for Latinos“ to expand depression prevention and treatment for Baltimore’s Latinos. This Action Plan reflects the voices of many diverse stakeholders. It provides an actionable framework for local health systems, community organizations, and regional policymakers to address depression among local Latinos. We offer this Action Plan as a guide to other cities with emerging Latino immigrant communities. We are confident you will see the value of this effort and support its sustainability.
Citation (AMA 10th) Guerrero Vazquez M, Maksym M, Grieb SM, Joo JH, Platt ER, Polk S. Community-centered Mental health innovations for Latinos. Centro SOL, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 2022.
Community-Centered Mental Health Innovations for Latinos
During the Latino Health Conference on May 19th 2022, Centro SOL launched the Action Plan with innovative approaches to address the mental health care needs of Latinos. This Action Plan is a framework that can be replicated in geographic areas with emerging Latino Immigrant communities. For inquiries please contact centrosolmh@jhmi.edu.
