The Need for Mental Health Resources for Latino Youth



Young Latinos face many barriers when it comes to mental health support and resources.   The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has highlighted ongoing projects and resources that contribute to decreasing the disparities that plague the Latino youth mental health crisis.   “Evidence indicates that Hispanic and Latino youth have pressing mental health needs and are not receiving adequate mental health care,” according to Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, NIMH director, in a blog.   Let’s explore the Latino youth mental health crisis and what resources can help.   Latino Youth Mental Health  The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected youth from minority communities and worsened the disparities experienced by these communities.  Factors like discrimination, ...

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We Need More Complete Data on Social Determinants of Health


We Need More Complete Data on Social Determinants of Health

Data can drive action for healthy change. But what if we don’t have enough data? Or the right data? Or equitable data? Unfortunately, even with more health reports and more health dashboards than ever before, we still face inconsistent and incomplete data. We are lacking sufficient data – especially data disaggregated by race/ethnicity – on social determinants of health, firearm violence, traffic crashes, and adverse childhood experiences. Insufficient data happens for many reasons. Limited funding, limited staff, uncertain methods, logistical challenges, entrenched practices, inadequate analysis, and inadequate or non-uniform reporting after data collection are occurring at the local, state, and federal levels. Let’s explore the most critical missing data and how ...

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5 Essential Frameworks for Preventing Violent Child Death


violent child death is a problem in America

The U.S. has a violent child death problem. Developing strategies to prevent violent child death from firearms and traffic crashes is a demanding task that requires consideration of numerous upstream, interrelated, and tangential issues. To help safety advocates develop strategies to prevent violent child death, we compiled five frameworks to help: Understand and explain how proposed strategies will prevent violent child death Layer multiple strategies to cover shortcomings in strategies Prioritize upstream primary prevention strategies to improve outcomes for entire populations Consider the level of intrusiveness of strategies Apply racial equity tools to ensure equitable adoption/implementation of strategies The five frameworks include: Logic Model/Theory ...

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What Are the Risk and Protective Factors for Violent Child Death?


violent child death is a problem in America

Gun violence and traffic crashes may seem like unpredictable events. But they are not random. They are systematic. Data reveal trends and patterns in gun violence and traffic crashes that can help us identify risk factors and protective factors. This is especially important for addressing violent child deaths. So what do the data show? Join Salud America! as we explore data on risk factors as part of our four-part series on violent child death. Read the Series Overview and Part 1. Nothing is as Random as You Think Very little is random when it comes to our health and length of life. Rather, trends in health outcomes point to various individual, social, and environmental factors that either contribute to or safeguard against health-related problems. Although often not ...

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The U.S. Has a Violent Child Death Problem


violent child death is a problem in America

Thanks to vaccinations, antibiotics, and medical treatment, death from infectious disease has declined drastically among children in high-income countries. But violent death is a serious threat to children in the United States. Here, guns and traffic crashes are the top killers of youth aged 1-19. Worse, these violent child deaths have increased in recent years. We can’t explain away all traffic crashes on individual behavior. We also can’t explain away all firearm incidents on individual behavior. These are systemic problems that require systemic solutions. Salud America! is exploring the scope of violent child death as part of its four-part series on public health approaches to addressing child deaths from guns and traffic crashes. The State of Child Traffic ...

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Sgt. Billy Killebrew: Helping Kids Who Deal with Trauma in Brownsville, Texas


billy killebrew of brownsville police handle with care

Brownsville Police Sgt. Billy Killebrew knows a lot of children experience divorce, witness domestic violence, and suffer other trauma at home or in the community. He wants to help those children. So he worked with advocates to start the Handle With Care Program at the newly opened Jubilee Leadership Academy campus in Brownsville, Texas. For the program, Brownsville police notify campus leaders when they encounter children at a traumatic scene, so school personnel can provide support the next day, as needed. “We never know what kids go through at home, they come to school, and sometimes they just don't feel like being there. They're in a bad mood, and just like us, as adults, you know, we have a bad day and not everybody knows a source of that bad day,” said Killebrew, the ...

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From Guns to Roads: We Need a Public Health Approach to America’s Violent Child Death Problem


Violent child death is a problem in America

Did you know guns and traffic crashes are the leading causes of death for youth ages 1-19? These deaths are problematic and unacceptable for four key reasons: These child deaths are unnatural and violent. Child deaths from guns and traffic crashes have risen since 2013, with spikes in both in 2020. Traffic and firearm death rates among American youth are higher than other high-income countries. These violent deaths are preventable. Traffic and gun violence are not criminal justice issues, they are public health issues. Preventing violent child deaths from traffic crashes and firearms requires a comprehensive and multi-layered public health approach to: Define and monitor the problem Identify risk and protective factors Develop prevention strategies ...

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7 Must-Know Facts about the Latino Youth Mental Crisis


Latino Youth Mental Health

Youth are facing a mental health crisis that is so widespread that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy has issued a new advisory calling it an “urgent public health issue.” That is especially true for Latino youth. But why? Let’s explore the mental health challenges impacting Latino youth, and how we can make a difference for these children and teens. 1. Latino Youth Struggle with Suicide and Depression Depression is the most debilitating health issue in the Latino community, NoStigmas reports. Around 17.7% of Latinos suffer from depression during their lifetimes. Only 7.2% of Latinos are diagnosed with depression compared to white Americans. In addition, suicide is the 12th-leading cause of death for both Latino and non-Latino people of all races.  8.6% ...

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A.J. Williams: Helping Police, Educators Team Up for Regional Handle With Care Program


Handle With Care Fort Worth

As a child, A.J. Williams was exposed to domestic violence. Now a police officer in Fort Worth, Texas, Williams is making sure children like him are getting the support they need in school through the Handle With Care program, where police notify schools when they encounter children at a traumatic scene, so schools can provide support the next day. After COVID-19 derailed an idea to team up Fort Worth police and schools for a local Handle With Care program, Williams reinitiated plans with help from a Handle With Care action pack from Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. He trained police and school leaders about the program and brought regional education leaders to the table who helped create a region-wide notification system. Now police departments and schools in the ...

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