Navigating the mental health system as a Spanish speaker

By Brittany Anderson

Navigating the mental health system can be tough for anyone — but for those who don’t speak English, it can be even more challenging.

There are many disparities within the system that prevent individuals from having proper access to care. Texas also doesn’t have the best track record of mental health support and accessibility, but fortunately, there are resources that are addressing this issue and making it easier for Spanish speakers in particular to find the help that they need.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and its Central Texas branch serves Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop, Travis, Williamson, and Burnet counties. Through a variety of education and support programs, NAMI works to provide a system that breaks down barriers to address mental illness.

According to NAMI, more than half of Hispanic young adults ages 18 to 25 with a serious mental illness may not receive treatment. Only 35.1% of Hispanic/Latinx adults with mental illness receive treatment each year compared to the U.S. average of 46.2%.

Language is one of these barriers. Being able to communicate with healthcare providers and relay mental health struggles is crucial.

Dulce Gruwell, peer program coordinator for NAMI Central Texas, helps coordinate programs for adults living with mental health conditions, from peer/family support groups and recovery education to classes that teach coping skills and more. She also leads the effort in ensuring these programs are offered in Spanish.

“I’m very passionate about bringing our programs in Spanish. It’s kind of self-care, because I can do what I’m passionate about,” Gruwell said. “It’s not just providing peer support in Spanish, it’s being able to provide a presentation in our own voice, [because] we don’t talk about it.”

Gruwell said that in general, there is “not a lot of mental health peer support in Central Texas,” but the stigma surrounding mental health is another huge barrier within the Hispanic/Latinx community.

People are sometimes simply embarrassed to admit they have a mental health condition and fear bringing shame to themselves or their families. For many, doing so is “taboo,” but this only leads to a longer laundry list of problems including not seeking treatment, especially if they are unsure of where to start.

According to NAMI, there are several other mental health systemic barriers that can hinder the Hispanic/ Latinx community:

• Poverty or lack of health insurance coverage. NAMI resources state that 17% of Hispanic/Latinx people in the U.S. live in poverty, and in 2019, 20% of non-elderly Hispanic people had no form of health insurance, facing an already limited pool of providers due to language barriers. Gruwell noted that NAMI is free and does not ask about insurance. • Legal status. Fear of deportation can prevent immigrants from speaking up and seeking help. • Cultural differences. These can cause mental health providers to misunderstand or misdiagnose Hispanic/ Latinx patients if they lack understanding of how their patient’s culture influences their interpretation of what they are feeling. • Acculturation. Assimilating into the predominant culture can play a role in mental health and access to care, and the process can be stressful for Hispanic/Latinx communities

See MENTAL HEALTH, page 11

Contributed Photo