How are you?: A culturally sensitive group therapy program for Latinos

Introduction An ongoing challenge for the behavioral health field in the United States is ensuring access to culturally and linguistically responsive treatments for the growing number of monolingual Spanish speakers. The limited availability of services further compromises mental health outcomes given the unique psychosocial stressors often experienced in this population, such as language barriers, family separation and inadequate social support, unemployment, trauma, and poverty. Objective In response to the local demand for services, the authors describe a specialized group program for monolingual Spanish speaking adults with chronic and persistent mental illness. Aims The program aims are two-fold: – to reduce exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms for individuals presenting in an acute state of distress through the provision of recovery-oriented mental health services in a familiar setting and preferred language; – to offer a specialized behavioral health training experience for bilingual psychology doctoral students. Methods The group is led by the psychology fellow and is offered twice per week for a total of six hours, and includes elements of interpersonal and cognitive behavioral therapy; motivational interviewing; spirituality; coping skills training; and art/music. Results The described mental health group program is the only one available in Spanish in the local community and has reduced utilization of the hospital emergency room. Consequently, it fills an important gap in the service system and offers care that would otherwise be unavailable for individuals in need. Conclusions The program is a cost-effective alternative to hospitalization for Spanish speaking Latinos and a unique professional experience for psychologists in-training interested in a career in the public sector.