New Research Looking to Reduce Latino Mental Health Disparities

Share On Social!

Goshen College is partnering with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital for a study on how communities of color access mental health services.

As part of a four-year study, Goshen’s Center for Intercultural and International Education (CIIE) will team with the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in an attempt to reduce racial/ethnic mental health disparities and to benefit minority communities, especially in the Latino community.

“We’ll play a very important role in providing access to people of color to share what works for them in accessing mental health services,” said Gilberto Perez, senior director of intercultural development and educational partnerships at Goshen College. “We’re the bridge-builder between the research team and the community.”

CIIE will identify key Latino community stakeholders in in California, Colorado, Georgia and Indiana to serve as focus groups for the study. CIIE will also conduct focus groups with participants from the communities to better understand the disparities in accessing mental health services

“The big questions we hope to answer are ‘How do we help communities of color access mental health services? What mechanisms play a role in mental health disparities and what policies need to be created that address mental health disparities in minority communities?’” Perez said.

The ultimate goal is to generate proposals to improve access and reduce mental health disparities in minority communities across the country. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities has funded the project with a grant of $125,000.

Share this on Twitter: New research is being done on Latino Mental Health Disparities. #SaludAmerica http://goo.gl/3XEIhk