Dr. Kathy Fletcher knows the first three years of a child’s life are critical for preparing kids to grow and mature into healthy and productive students and adults. But what if early childcare providers don’t know how to make it happen? Fletcher, President and CEO of Voices for Children of San Antonio, worried that these providers—who only need a high-school education to be on the job—are eager to help children success, but don’t always have the tools to give local kids the appropriate developmental care and services they need during their formative years to promote healthy development. At least one quarter of children birth to five are in some form of organized out-of-home child care. Investing in professional development for early childhood providers can reduce the ...
Latinos are a big focus of National Suicide Prevention Week on Sept. 10-16, 2017. Young Latinos are more likely than their peers to attempt suicide. High levels of stress, from discrimination, poverty and bullying, play a big role in this high percentage rate, according to our new Mental Health & Latino Kids Research. What can you do to help raise awareness and prevent suicide in your community? Start by knowing the signs. Here is a few examples of warning signs, according to the Mental Health America of Texas. Feeling hopeless. According to our research, 32.6% of Latino students reported feelings of hopelessness and sadness that continued for more than two weeks and resulted in decreased participation in activities they had previously enjoyed, a study found.
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Abstract
Latino youth are far more likely than their peers to have mental health issues. These often go unaddressed and untreated. Why? Immigration, poverty, bullying, and other family and social factors can stress Latino youth. But there’s good news, too. Programs are emerging to reduce family, school, and community stress. These can positively impact mental health among this population. Promising policies, while few, also are emerging. Read the News Release (PDF)
Read the Issue Brief (PDF)
Explore success stories and find tools to take action!
Contents
Introduction & Methods. This Salud America! research review assesses available research about mental health and access to care among Latino youth. This review also examines programs and policies to tackle ...
This is part of our Mental Health & Latino Kids: A Research Review »
Conclusions
Latino children and adolescents are disproportionately affected by mental health problems compared to their peers, especially Latinas, who have the highest rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt of any group. The factors affecting the mental health of Latino youth are complex and include the immigration process, acculturation, poverty-related stress, bullying, and discrimination.
Latino children are less likely to receive help for mental health problems, and their parents are less likely to recognize and seek help for their children’s mental health issues.
The barriers to the receipt and use of mental health services among Latino children include cultural differences in the ...
This is part of our Mental Health & Latino Kids: A Research Review »
Community stressors are linked to Latino kids' depression, etc.
Garcia and Lindgren recruited 53 Latino adolescents and caretakers to participate in focus groups in which participants would discuss mental health stressors. There were two focus groups each for boys, girls, mothers, and fathers. The boys’ groups generally focused their discussions on racism and discrimination, particularly racial profiling. One of the boys’ groups consisted of adolescents recruited from a community center with a program for truants. They discussed stressors that were not identified in the non-truant group, including gang activity, violence, and substance use disorder. In the girls’ groups, discrimination and immigration ...
Nearly 1 in 5 Latino adults suffers a mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress. But what's the state of mental health for Latino kids? Use #SaludTues on Sept. 12, 2017, to tweetchat with us as we explore the new Salud America! "Healthy Minds and Latino Kids" research review! The new research review, to be released during the chat, will cover the latest data on mental health and access to care among Latino youth. The review also features programs and policies that promote healthy minds in communities, schools, and homes for Latino kids. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Healthy Minds and Latino Kids
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: @APAEducation; ...
What is the one thing you want most for kids in your schools? Salud America! can customize an "Action Pack” just for you to help you build a case and get supporters for your big idea for a healthy change, whether it’s water bottle fountains, brain breaks, shared use, bullying policies, etc. Action Packs can include: Custom emails to school/district leaders
Custom webpage to build supporters
Custom data and graphics for social media
Custom fact sheets, FAQs and PPTs
See samples Request your customized Action Pack now! Michaeli Smith, the wellness coordinator at Comal ISD in Texas, had a big idea for more water bottle fountains in schools. Water bottle fountains, compared to traditional water fountains, help improve students' access to water in schools be ...
Latino parents in Holyoke, MA (49.49% Latino population) have taken drastic measures in an effort to achieve a better standard of education equity for their children, according to The Boston Globe. In August 2017, the group Padres de Latinos de las Escuelas de Springfield y Holyoke (PLESH) filed a lawsuit against the Holyoke Public School District claiming that there was a failing to “provide adequate translation of educational documents” for parents with limited English proficiency. Nearly half of the 5,300 students in Holyoke live in homes where English isn’t the primary language. Per The Boston Globe report, 80% of all students in the district are Latino and the lawsuit focuses heavily on minority children in special education. “Nothing has changed,” said Glorimar ...
Latino youth are far more likely than their peers to have mental health issues, which often go unaddressed and untreated. Why? Immigration, cultural identity, poverty, bullying, discrimination and other factors create high levels of stress. But there’s good news, too. Interventions to reduce family, school and community stressors can have a positive effect on the mental health of this population. Promising policies, while few, also are emerging. Research Explore: Mental Health & Latino Kids ...
