It’s Time to Prioritize Our Mental Health in Colorado.

The pandemic triggered the essential role of mental health professionals. More Coloradans than ever are struggling with mental health issues. We are in a state of distress. ZEROGROUND appreciates and values the rich diversity of Colorado's five million residents and recognizes that Colorado's diverse population includes unique behavioral health needs.

Culturally competent services to all.

Colorado’s mental health field is struggling to find culturally competent behavioral health services to effectively meet the diverse needs. These needs cannot be denied; according to The Status of Mental Health Care in Colorado, The Colorado Trust, "One out of five people in Colorado need mental health services each year, yet fewer than a third of them receive care. The lack of care resulted in suicide, lost productivity, and homelessness, among other costs. Significant disparities exist in access to mental health care for racial, ethnic, and sexual minority groups, for people with disabilities, and for people living in rural areas of the state." Barriers involving community outreach, linguistics, a lack of training options, and a lack of resources have negatively impacted service delivery, client retention, and treatment outcomes for those individuals struggling to connect to culturally responsive agencies and treatment providers. Colorado ranked 51st in access to mental health services this year, and it’s time to acknowledge the need for cultural competence as key to providing effective service.

Workshop Handout: Bridging Cultures in Mental Health

Course Overview

This 4-day workshop combines theory and hands-on internships to equip mental health professionals with the skills to identify and navigate educational and cultural differences. The goal is to enhance service delivery to bilingual and bicultural clients by fostering cultural neutrality and understanding.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Case Analysis: Describe three cases and approach each with cultural neutrality.
2. Key Terminology: Identify at least four key terms to effectively communicate with bilingual/bicultural clients.
3. Educational Assessment: Identify at least two methods to assess educational levels.
4. Practical Application: Engage in internships covering mental health therapy, case management, and medical provider therapy with bilingual families.

Course Outline

Day 1: Theory

• Session 1: My Values or Your Values?
• Reflect on personal values and their impact on client interactions.
• Discuss the importance of cultural humility in mental health practice.

• Session 2: Education – The Key to Intervention
• Explore the relationship between education levels and mental health outcomes.
• Learn methods to assess educational background in clients.

Day 2: Theory

• Session 3: Communication Skills – Key Words in Mental Health
• Introduce essential mental health terminology in Spanish.
• Practice using these terms in mock therapeutic scenarios.

• Session 4: Tools and Resources
• Review available tools and resources to support bilingual clients.
• Discuss strategies to overcome language and educational barriers in service delivery.

Days 3 & 4: Internships

• Rotation 1: Mental Health Therapy with Bilingual Families
• Apply cultural neutrality in therapeutic settings.
• Use key terminology to facilitate communication.

• Rotation 2: Case Management Services
• Assess educational levels and tailor interventions accordingly.
• Collaborate with clients to develop culturally appropriate care plans.

• Rotation 3: Medical/Mental Health Provider Collaboration
• Work alongside medical professionals to address the holistic needs of bilingual families.
• Navigate cultural and educational differences in a multidisciplinary team.

Tools and Resources

• Culturagram: A tool to assess cultural factors influencing a client's situation, including family structure, language, and values. Learn more here.
• CLAS Standards: National standards to ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Explore resources.
• SAMHSA's TIP 59: A manual for improving cultural competence in mental health and substance use services. Access the guide.

Reflection and Application

After completing the internships, participants should reflect on the following:

• How did cultural and educational assessments influence your approach to each case?
• Which communication strategies were most effective in engaging bilingual clients?
• What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them?

Additional Resources

• NAMI’s Compartiendo Esperanza: Bilingual presentations to raise mental health awareness among Latino communities. Visit NAMI.
• Mental Health America’s Resources for Latinx/Hispanic Communities: Spanish-language materials and screening tools. Explore resources.
• Think Cultural Health: Free online training to improve cultural and linguistic competency in behavioral health. Start training.