Photo credit: El Futuro

El Futuro, a cornerstone of support for North Carolina's Latino community, stands at the forefront of mental health advocacy. Central to our mission is Mentes Fuertes (Strong Minds), a groundbreaking initiative developed in collaboration with UNC Greensboro and Massachusetts General Hospital, that premiered in Orange County, NC. This program embodies the ethos of community-driven healing, addressing the unique mental health access challenges faced by Latinos through the innovative Community Mental Health Worker Program.

Addressing Mental Health in the Latino Community

Within the Latino community, the demand for mental health services is critical. Mentes Fuertes recognizes the disparities in access and outcomes stemming from systemic trauma, cultural insensitivity, socioeconomic factors, and acculturation stressors including discrimination. However, despite growing awareness, stigma and language barriers persist in many mainstream mental health models, hindering many people from seeking help.

Offering Community-Driven Mental Health Support

El Futuro extends care into the community and reduces barriers to access through the Community Mental Health Worker program. Community Mental Health Workers undergo rigorous training to provide vital one-to-one support tailored to the community's needs. This program fills a crucial void, offering free, culturally-responsive mental health support exclusively in Spanish for adults aged 18 and above, expanding the workforce which suffers a critical shortage of bilingual, clinically licensed mental health professionals.

Mentes Fuertes empowers community health workers to improve Latino community mental health outcomes by tapping into the health workers’ existing rapport and cultural insights. Equipped with comprehensive training, Community Mental Health Workers help community members with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD learn skills to improve their mental well-being.

Our team of four CHWs has already screened 83 people from two counties in NC in the first five months of this pilot effort. In this short amount of time, the clients who have completed the full series of 10+ skills-building classes have already seen significant clinical improvement, with rates of depression and anxiety decreasing significantly over the course of the treatment.

The impacts are perhaps best summed up in the words of the participants themselves:

This program helped me to reduce my stress, depression and anxiety, it helped me recognize and discard thoughts that do not bring me anything positive.

I learned to take better care of myself, to value myself, and to be good with others. I learned breathing strategies that help me every day, and also techniques to better manage my thoughts.

Additionally, participants are able to receive care from within and among their community of familiarity, reducing stigma and building trust. Hosted in familiar settings, like collaborative nonprofit community agencies or faith-based communities, Mentes Fuertes maintains a communal atmosphere that fosters trust and engagement. By prioritizing linguistic accessibility and cultural relevance, the program ensures no one is left behind in their journey toward healing.

How to Take Action

What you can do to support extended Latino mental health services through culturally-responsive community mental health workers.

  • Collaborative advocacy approaches that involve mental health providers, local Medicaid administrators, faith community leaders, and Latino community leaders can result in shared agendas and stronger commitments to effective solutions for mental health disparities. 
  • Community mental health workers from within the local community can be the strongest voice of comfort and encouragement for Latino individuals who are fearful of seeking support. Provide platforms for community mental health workers to share their experiences and insights with the public, and ensure compensation for representation in these arenas. 
  • Community mental health workers require training and support to achieve community mental health outcomes while maintaining their own well-being. Be sure to consider support for ongoing training, coaching, and support to reduce burnout among these important care extenders. 
  • Consider global health models like “friendship benches” and “promotoras de salud” when designing community mental health worker initiatives.
  • Follow El Futuro on social media and share with your networks. (@ElFuturoNC)

El Futuro's Mentes Fuertes Program embodies the power of community-driven solutions in mental health care. Through this innovative initiative, barriers are broken and lives are transformed. 

Learn more about El Futuro and Mentes Fuertes at elfuturo-nc.org.