NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Mental health conditions can affect anyone regardless of their background. According to NAMI, the most common mental health conditions among Latinx are generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and excessive use of alcohol and drugs.
The Latinx community is as susceptible to mental illness as the general population. Unfortunately, because of inequity, stigma, privacy concerns, language barriers, lack of health insurance, misdiagnosis and legal status, many Latinos experience disparities in access to treatment and the quality of treatment they receive. This inequality puts the Hispanic community at a much higher risk for more acute and pervasive forms of mental health conditions.
NAMI Delaware understands the mental health challenges the Latinx community faces in Sussex County. It is devoted to supporting, educating and advocating for those affected by mental illness in Delaware.
Jacqueline Contreras, NAMI’s bilingual multicultural engagement coordinator, is trying to engage, educate and advocate for the Hispanic community in Sussex County. “My biggest goal would be to bring more families into this conversation in Sussex County,” she says. “I want to let families know that they are not alone, that mental illness is common and can be treated.”
Contreras says NAMI has partnered with 93.9 LA MXZ and has secured airtime to talk about mental health and give information to the Hispanic community about mental illness and available resources.
What NAMI offers:
- Support groups in English and Spanish
- Customized presentations on mental health and mental illness
- A helpline in English and Spanish for people seeking resources and an empathetic ear
- Training in suicide prevention