Are you feeling anxious or restless following the 2024 election cycle? You’re not alone. Mental health disparities are not new; over the years, they have deeply affected Latine & Indigenous communities. Unfortunately, negative rhetoric used during election campaigns exacerbates these disparities, increasing fear and anxiety and ultimately impacting health outcomes. Our work acknowledges this acute need while focusing on data and policy recommendations that will support our communities with long-term solutions.
Mental Health is a foundational component of holistic health and key to helping us cope with everyday stresses. Still, research shows that mental health issues and access to treatment disproportionately impact Latine communities. For example, 6 out of 10 Latine adults and 1 out of 4 Latine adolescents reported experiencing severe psychological distress; many reported being unable to access appropriate mental care due to inadequate mental health literacy or ability and skills to seek the type of mental healthcare that they need.
LCHC has heard the same resounding message from our community through our programming and mobilization efforts. During LCHC’s 2024 Listening Tour ‘Nuestras Voces, Nuestra Salud,’ one participant said, “There is a lot of negative stigma around mental health, especially in Latino communities. I have also had family members who, at one point, have been willing or open to the idea of mental health but find it very difficult to obtain that resource.” Additionally, attendees at LCHC’s 2024 Health Policy Summit, who participated in our ‘Nuestro Voto, Nuestro Poder’ poll, chose mental health as one of the top 3 health policy issues facing California Latines.
The SanaMente campaign is designed to empower communities by raising awareness, reducing stigma, and introducing resources related to Latine and Indigenous mental health.
This campaign is designed by and for community, the word sanamente means healthily, but when broken down sana means to heal, mente means mind; together, they create a play on words and references a popular Spanish-language song that aims to create a meaningful connection with our Latine & Indigenous community.
Through SanaMente, we’re advancing the conversation around the systems transformation and health equity policy changes that are needed to ensure culturally and linguistically responsive mental health care for Latine and Indigenous families and individuals.
We’re kicking off our campaign by sharing our new Latine and Indigenous Mental Health Policy Factsheet in conjunction with our SanaMente Community Education and Outreach Social Media Campaign.
- Our Latine and Indigenous Mental Health Policy Factsheet analyzes the current state of mental health for Latine and Indigenous Californians. It provides access to current data and a set of policy recommendations to strengthen our state’s mental health delivery services and outcomes.
- Our SanaMente Community Education and Outreach Social Media Campaign comprises ten social media image carousels sharing information ranging from data, research, resources, quotes from our listening tour, and more!
We hope you will join us in raising awareness and sharing resources around Mental Health for Latine and Indigenous Communities.
If you have questions or would like to collaborate with LCHC on the SanaMente campaign, please contact our senior communications Manager, Robert Nunez, at rnunez@lchc.org.
