Navigating Behavioral Health Complexities in Midwest Latinx Communities Conference

This conference is co-sponsored by:

Great Lakes MHTTC  El Consorcio MN  National Hispanic & Latino MHTTC

 

May 56, 2022

 

Embassy Suites Minneapolis Airport

7901 34th Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota, 55425, USA

 

 

Day 1 - School Mental Health 

May 5, 2022 

 

7:00AM–8:00AM     Registration Process 

 

8:00AM–8:15AM     Welcome / Introductions 

 

Christine Miranda, PhD, Associate Director for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC

Universidad del Caribe, School of Medicine 

 

Sherrie Nichols, MS, LMFT, Co-Director for the Great Lakes MHTTC

University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

Ibis Carrion-Gonzalez, PsyD, Director for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC

Universidad del Caribe, School of Medicine 

 

Elizabeth Franklin, MSW, LICSW, Chair, Board of Directors for El Consorcio

 

 

 8:15AM–9:00AM              Keynote Presentation: The Key Pieces We Have to Keep In Mind: We Are Many More

                                           Than Two (Somos mucho mas que dos)

                                            Speaker: Javiera Monardez Popelka, MPH 

This keynote will address the importance of empathy working with teenagers and their families, and it will highlight the role of parents, their background, stories, culture, and values in our efforts to support teens.

 

 

9:00AM–10:30AM             Cultural Considerations for Addressing Mental Health Issues and Racial Discrimination in  

                                            Hispanic and Latino Children and Youths 

                                            Speaker: Diane Arms, MA          

Latinx youths are at significant risk for mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and   suicide attempts. Latinx youths are also less likely to access culturally responsive mental health services and continue to be undiagnosed or untreated. This can lead to negative outcomes such as negative interactions at school and with authorities, increased disconnection from family and society, and exposure to the criminal justice system. The presenter will also discuss factors that affect Hispanic and Latino youth mental health and academic performance, the use of culturally centered interventions in school mental health, and how to engage effectively Hispanic and Latino youth and families in school mental health treatment.

                                           

     Learning objectives:

     1. Identify trends in mental health disorders, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors

     2. Discuss culture-specific risk and protective factors associated with mental health

     3. Discuss cultural elements that inform mental health assessment and treatment for Hispanic/Latino youth

 

10:30AM–10:45AM           Morning Recess 

 

10:45AM–12:00PM           Migration, Detention, and Separation: Trauma of Central American Children and Families  

                                           Seeking Asylum 

                                           Speaker: Luis H. Zayas, PhD 

 

The appearance of unaccompanied minors and children with parents from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras seeking asylum in the United States is not a new phenomenon. It has existed for decades as their countries spiraled into unlivable violence, poverty, and governmental and police inaction. To develop interventions and establish services for these children alone and those in family units, we must understand the traumatic forces that propel their migration and the trauma that is suffered along the way, including in US custody. This webinar presents the plight of Central American children and parents who spent time in immigration detention centers after fleeing their countries and transiting through Mexico. The effects of the family separation policy of 2018 and the “Migrant Protection Protocols,” better known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy are discussed in the context of the effects on children’s attachment reactions and family reunification. Interventions and services for these children and families after their release are discussed. Warning: The presentation includes pictures and videos of violence and children’s reactions to separation that may be disturbing to some viewers.

 

     Learning objectives:

     1. Understand the many layers of trauma that asylum-seeking minors and parents experience

     2. Recognize the effects of immigration detention and family separation on the attachment reactions of children

     3. Consider the various interventions and services that children and parents need and can benefit from

 

12:00PM–1:00PM             Lunch on your own 

 

1:00PM–2:30PM               Workshops 

 

1. Latino LGBTQ+ Youth  

Moderator: J. Rocky Romero, PhD, LMSW

Speaker: Mayra Davila & Ivan Gil

CLUES - Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio 

This panel discussion will address how the pandemic impacted our Latinx youth’s mental health as it relates to sexual health, the main sexual health considerations that are crucial to address with our Latinx youth, the importance of considering the concept of sexuality when we are addressing mental health concerns with Latinx youth, the biggest challenges that mental health providers had faced when working with Latinx youth, and effective sexual health interventions that can assist our Latinx youth with their mental health.

 

2. Family Therapy Co-Occurring Disorders in Latino Youth

Speaker: Dan Santisteban, PhD 

Family therapy has been shown to be a very powerful tool for treating adolescent substance use. Family Therapy can be powerful because it can work at many levels. It can target individual family members, important subgroups such as couples or siblings, causes and/or consequences of substance use, family member responses to societal discrimination and oppression, and many other key processes. Most family therapy models stretch the counselor to new ways of conceptualizing problems and to utilize interventions that differ significantly from those utilized within more traditional individually oriented models of addiction treatment. The treatment of Latinos with substance use disorders also presents some unique challenges to counselors. It requires gaining an understanding of some pro unique stressors that can disrupt family life and contribute to substance use problems.

 

     Learning objectives:

     1. Introduce counselors to basic systemic thinking about substance use disorders and the family context.

     2. Present unique aspects of Hispanic families

     3. Provide major strengths of family models

     4. Understand the importance of cultural competence in working with Hispanic youth and adolescents

 

3. Impact of bullying on Latino children and youth

Speaker: Patricia Landers, PsyD, NHL-MHTTC-Spanish 

This panel discussion will address how the pandemic impacted our Latinx youth’s mental health as it relates to sexual health, the main sexual health considerations that are crucial to address with our Latinx youth, the importance of considering the concept of sexuality when we are addressing mental health concerns with Latinx youth, the biggest challenges that mental health providers had faced when working with Latinx youth, and effective sexual health interventions that can assist our Latinx youth with their mental health.

 

4. Tailoring Treatment for Gender and Sexually Diverse Latinx Youth with Suicidal Behaviors  

Speaker: Yovanska Duarte, PhD, NHL-MHTTC English 

This presentation will provide to mental health providers information about a tailored CBT for Latinx youths. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for depressed Latinx youths as well as White youths with depression and suicidal behaviors. However, evidence-based treatments for ethnic minority and gender and sexually diverse youth, including Latinx teens with suicidal behaviors, is limited. A culturally centered CBT treatment protocol for suicidality (Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Behavior-SCBT-SB) was developed in Puerto Rico to address the specific needs of Latinx teens and their families. The SCBT-SB addresses central issues in adolescent identity formation (e.g. ethnicity and sexual orientation) along with family interactions and communication. Further modifications were done to expand the SCBT-SB applicability to Latinx families in the USA. The feasibility of this modified version of the SCBT-SB was tested in the USA by conducting a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the SCBT versus treatment-as-usual (TAU) in a real-world setting with positive results. A randomized clinical trial is underway, funded by the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities (NIMHD), to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the SCBT-SB. The rationale for developing a culturally centered CBT protocol, the change model, and its main components will be presented.

           

2:30PM – 2:45PM                Afternoon Recess 

 

2:45PM – 4:15PM                Workshops 

 

1. Latino LGBTQ+ Youth Panel  

Moderator: J Rocky Romero, PhD, LMSW

Speakers: Mayra Davila & Ivan Gil

CLUES - Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio  

This panel discussion will address how the pandemic impacted our Latinx youth’s mental health as it relates to sexual health, the main sexual health considerations that are crucial to address with our Latinx youth, the importance of considering the concept of sexuality when we are addressing mental health concerns with Latinx youth, the biggest challenges that mental health providers had faced when working with Latinx youth, and effective sexual health interventions that can assist our Latinx youth with their mental health.

 

2. Family Therapy Co-Occurring Disorders in Latino Youth

Speaker: Dan Santisteban, PhD 

Family therapy has been shown to be a very powerful tool for treating adolescent substance use. Family Therapy can be powerful because it can work at many levels. It can target individual family members, important subgroups such as couples or siblings, causes and/or consequences of substance use, family member responses to societal discrimination and oppression, and many other key processes. Most family therapy models stretch the counselor to new ways of conceptualizing problems and to utilize interventions that differ significantly from those utilized within more traditional individually oriented models of addiction treatment. The treatment of Latinos with substance use disorders also presents some unique challenges to counselors. It requires gaining an understanding of some pro unique stressors that can disrupt family life and contribute to substance use problems.

 

     Learning objectives:

     1. Introduce counselors to basic systemic thinking about substance use disorders and the family context.

     2. Present unique aspects of Hispanic families

     3. Provide major strengths of family models

     4. Understand the importance of cultural competence in working with Hispanic youth and adolescents

 

3. Impact of bullying on Latino children and youths

Speaker: Patricia Landers, PsyD, NHL-MHTTC- English 

Race-related bullying is significantly associated with negative emotional and physical health effects. This type of bullying occurs due to skin color and other physical traits, language, food, clothing and other racial or ethnic characteristics. Latino parents reported that bullying is the number one health concern of their children in comparison to White parents. Often their children experience stress (57% vs. 42%), depression (53% vs. 36%), and drug abuse (61% vs. 47%). Schools should promote a culturally responsive learning environment to reduce behavioral problems, enhance learning, develop strong school attachment, and increase student's self-esteem. Bullying intervention programs for Hispanic and Latino children and adolescents are most likely to be effective if: it emphasizes on preventing violent behaviors, early identification of bullies and bully-victims, improving social and emotional skills, and providing strategies to manage conflicts among peers includes parental involvement it is implemented school-wide.

 

     Learning objectives:

     1. Identify bullying’s short and long-term impact on their victims.

     2. Recognize how cultural elements can increase or reduce the psychosocial impact.

     3. List culturally appropriate interventions to prevent and manage its occurrence and impact.

 

4. Tailoring Treatment for Gender and Sexually Diverse Latinx Youth with Suicidal Behaviors  

Speaker: Yovanska Duarte, PhD, NHL-MHTTC Spanish 

This presentation will provide to mental health providers information about a tailored CBT for Latinx youths. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for depressed Latinx youths as well as White youths with depression and suicidal behaviors. However, evidence-based treatments for ethnic minority and gender and sexually diverse youth, including Latinx teens with suicidal behaviors, is limited. A culturally centered CBT treatment protocol for suicidality (Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Behavior-SCBT-SB) was developed in Puerto Rico to address the specific needs of Latinx teens and their families. The SCBT-SB addresses central issues in adolescent identity formation (e.g. ethnicity and sexual orientation) along with family interactions and communication. Further modifications were done to expand the SCBT-SB applicability to Latinx families in the USA. The feasibility of this modified version of the SCBT-SB was tested in the USA by conducting a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the SCBT versus treatment-as-usual (TAU) in a real-world setting with positive results. A randomized clinical trial is underway, funded by the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities (NIMHD), to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the SCBT-SB. The rationale for developing a culturally centered CBT protocol, the change model, and its main components will be presented.

 

4:15PM–4:30PM                Evaluation & Closure 

                                            Alfredo Cerrato, Senior Cultural & Workforce Development Officer Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC

 


 
Day 2 - Mental Health Providers 
May 6, 2022 

 

7:00AM–8:00AM      Registration Process 

 

8:00AM–8:15AM      Welcome / Introductions 

 

Christine Miranda, PhD, Associate Director for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC

Universidad del Caribe, School of Medicine 

 

Sherrie Nichols, MS, LMFT, Co-Director for the Great Lakes MHTTC

University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

Ibis Carrion-Gonzalez, PsyD, Director for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC

Universidad del Caribe, School of Medicine 

 

Elizabeth Franklin, MSW, LICSW, Chair, Board of Directors for El Consorcio

 

8:15 AM9:45AM                 Keynote Presentation: Expanding Possibilities for Mental Health Equity for Under-resourced Immigrant Latinx Families during the  

                                            Covid-19 Pandemic 

                                            Speaker: Celia J. Falicov, PhD 

The novel coronavirus has added new anxieties and forms of grieving to the myriad practical and emotional burdens already present in the lives of underserved and uninsured immigrant families and communities. This keynote presentation will share experiences since the COVID-19 crisis to the lessons we have learned over time as mental health professionals working with families in no-cost, student-managed community comprehensive health clinics in academic-community partnerships. Also, the presentation will compare and contrast the learnings of flexibility of time, space, procedures, or attendance we acquired in this clinical community setting during regular times, with the new challenges families and therapists face, and the adaptations needed to continue to work with our clients.

 

9:45AM–10:00AM                Morning Recess 

 

10:00AM–11:30AM             Workshops

 

1. Culturally Modified TF-CBT   

Speaker: Michelle Evans, DSW, LCSW, CADC-English 

This session discusses Culturally Modified-Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CM-TFT), and how it is proven to be effective for Hispanic and Latino children and adolescents that experienced traumatic events. The adaptations (CM-TFT) include culture-specific topics like spirituality, gender roles, family, personalism, respect, among other cultural elements. The therapy's main goals are to identify trauma experiences, provide psychoeducation, increase affect regulation, identify cultural considerations, process adverse experiences in a safe environment, in-vivo exposure, and enhance safety. During this presentation, participants will recognize TF-CBT components. Participants will also learn how to include cultural adaptations while providing therapy to Latino clients and their families. Finally, participants will familiarize themselves with resources and recommendations on TF-CBT for Latinos children and youth.

 

2. Cultural adaptations of EBPS

Speaker: Oscar Rojas, PhD- English

Cultural adaptations are systematic changes to existing treatment processes or protocols that incorporate the values, beliefs, assumptions, and language(s) of the culture or group in order to make the treatments more accessible, relevant, and effective (Bernal et al., 2009; Bernal & Domenech Rodríguez, 2012). Professional guidelines consider the best treatment to be one that reflects the client’s needs and expectations within their cultural context (American Psychological Association [APA], 2006). The main goals of the presentation are to help educators and supervisors train clinicians to culturally adapt existing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for the Latinx population they serve; describe an array of cultural adaptation models, frameworks and methods; highlight the benefits and challenges of undertaking cultural adaptations; and provide recommendations and resources to culturally adapt and implement an existing EBT.

 

3. Latina Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Cultural Considerations for Treatment: Seeking Safety 

Speaker: Luz Lopez, PhD- English 

This presentation will provide information on how to address the impact of COVID-19 prevention efforts, shelter in place practices, and isolation for individuals who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in Latino/Hispanic communities. The presenter will describe socio-cultural Latino traditions and the impact of COVID-19 shelter in place practices that may increase IPV incidents, recognize the mental health consequences of unemployment, economic hardships, the closing of schools, and general uncertainty that may result in more family conflicts and violence. Furthermore, Dr. Lopez, will provide information about the identification of cultural resilience and coping strategies to address the impact of the pandemic in Latino families and ways to reduce stress and IPV. The presenter will review Spanish bilingual and culturally adapted domestic violence prevention resources available through the internet, online technology, local and national hotlines.

 

Acculturation: Two Lived Experiences Under One Roof- Shift of Power Dynamics and Cultural Considerations when working with Latino Populations

Speakers: Alfredo Cerrato and Marleny Huerta-Apanco - Spanish 

This presentation will provide information on how to address the impact of COVID-19 prevention efforts, shelter in place practices, and isolation for individuals who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in Latino/Hispanic communities. The presenter will describe socio-cultural Latino traditions and the impact of COVID-19 shelter in place practices that may increase IPV incidents, recognize the mental health consequences of unemployment, economic hardships, the closing of schools, and general uncertainty that may result in more family conflicts and violence. Furthermore, Dr. Lopez, will provide information about the identification of cultural resilience and coping strategies to address the impact of the pandemic in Latino families and ways to reduce stress and IPV. The presenter will review Spanish bilingual and culturally adapted domestic violence prevention resources available through the internet, online technology, local and national hotlines. 

 

11:30AM–1:00PM                Lunch on your own 

 

1:00PM –2:30PM                 Workshops

                                            

1. Culturally Modified TF-CBT  

Speaker: Michelle Evans, DSW, LCSW, CADC-English 

This session discusses Culturally Modified-Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CM-TFT), and how it is proven to be effective for Hispanic and Latino children and adolescents that experienced traumatic events. The adaptations (CM-TFT) include culture-specific topics like spirituality, gender roles, family, personalism, respect, among other cultural elements. The therapy's main goals are to identify trauma experiences, provide psychoeducation, increase affect regulation, identify cultural considerations, process adverse experiences in a safe environment, in-vivo exposure, and enhance safety. During this presentation, participants will recognize TF-CBT components. Participants will also learn how to include cultural adaptations while providing therapy to Latino clients and their families. Finally, participants will familiarize themselves with resources and recommendations on TF-CBT for Latinos children and youth.

 

2. Cultural adaptations of EBPS  

Speaker: Oscar Rojas, PhD- English 

Cultural adaptations are systematic changes to existing treatment processes or protocols that incorporate the values, beliefs, assumptions, and language(s) of the culture or group in order to make the treatments more accessible, relevant, and effective (Bernal et al., 2009; Bernal & Domenech Rodríguez, 2012). Professional guidelines consider the best treatment to be one that reflects the client’s needs and expectations within their cultural context (American Psychological Association [APA], 2006). The main goals of the presentation are to help educators and supervisors train clinicians to culturally adapt existing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for the Latinx population they serve; describe an array of cultural adaptation models, frameworks and methods; highlight the benefits and challenges of undertaking cultural adaptations; and provide recommendations and resources to culturally adapt and implement an existing EBT.

 

3. Latina Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Cultural Considerations for Treatment: Seeking Safety 

Speaker: Luz Lopez, PhD- Spanish 

This presetation will provide information on how to address the impact of COVID-19 prevention efforts, shelter in place practices, and isolation for individuals who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in Latino/Hispanic communities. The presenter will describe socio-cultural Latino traditions and the impact of COVID-19 shelter in place practices that may increase IPV incidents, recognize the mental health consequences of unemployment, economic hardships, the closing of schools, and general uncertainty that may result in more family conflicts and violence. Furthermore, Dr. Lopez, will provide information about the identification of cultural resilience and coping strategies to address the impact of the pandemic in Latino families and ways to reduce stress and IPV. The presenter will review Spanish bilingual and culturally adapted domestic violence prevention resources available through the internet, online technology, local and national hotlines.

 

4. Supervision as Co-Vision: A Culturally Attuned and Socially Just Multidimensional Approach

Speaker: Celia J. Falicov, PhD- English 

As practitioners are called to provide care to a wider and more culturally diverse range of clients, there is also increasing recognition that the encounter between practitioners and clients is a cultural and sociopolitical encounter. MECA, the Multidimensional Ecological Comparative Approach is a systems oriented postmodern framework designed to provide a culturally attuned and socially empowering approach in family therapy theory, research, clinical practice, and training (Falicov 1995, 2014a, b, 2016a). MECA can be used to work with clients from many different cultures around the world. MECA was first developed in 1995 by Celia Jaes Falicov, who had pioneered introducing cultural perspectives in family therapy theory, practice, and training from an ecosystemic viewpoint (Falicov 1983, 1988). MECA is based on the belief that we are all multicultural persons rather than belonging to a single group subsumed under a single label: Latino, lesbian, Lutheran, or Black. MECA maintains that each person belongs, participates, and identifies with multiple cultural and contextual groups.

 

     Learning objectives:

     1. Learn the concepts and tools of a Multidimensional Ecological Comparative Approach (MECA)

     2. Learn to apply these tools during assessment and treatment

     3. Learn how MECA addresses the integrated issues of migration; ecological stressors, family organization, & family life cycle

     4. Use MECA to facilitate self-examination to identify personal and professional biases

     5. Discuss the benefits and risks of replacing cultural competence with cultural humility 

 

2:30PM–2:45PM                Afternoon Recess 

 

2:45PM–4:15 PM                Closing Presentation

                                            Speaker: Marisol Chiclana-Ayala, MPA   

 

4:15PM–4:30PM                Evaluation & Closure 

                                            Alfredo Cerrato, Senior Cultural & Workforce Development Officer Great Lakes A/MH/PTTC

 

 

 

Welcome & Remarks:

 

Sherrie Nichols

Sherrie Nichols, MS, LMFT

Co-Director and State Project Manager Minnesota  

Great Lakes MHTTC 

 

Sherrie Nichols, MS, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with specialization in Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health. Sherrie has worked the last 13 years in County Human Services in Wisconsin, supporting mental health and substance use disorders, both as a therapist and a Behavioral Health Manager. She is currently the Co-Director for the Great Lakes MHTTC and the State Project Manager for Minnesota for ATTC, PTTC, and MHTTC. 

 

 

Ibis S. Carrion-Gonzalez

Ibis S. Carrión-González, PsyD 

Director 

National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center 

Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine 

 

Dr. Ibis S. Carrión-González is a clinical psychologist from Puerto Rico. Since 2005, she has been working with the Institute of Research, Education, and Services in Addiction (IRESA) at Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Dr. Carrión has been involved in research for Brief Family Strategic Therapy (BSFT) clinical research funded by NIDA-CTN among Hispanic adolescents living in Puerto Rico. In addition, she was studying the effect of traumatic events on Hispanic women's coping strategies and drug use. After this, SAMHSA granted funds to treat women identified with substance use and other mental health disorders; and have a history of trauma. Her experience working with Hispanic and Latino communities includes the managing of an educational curriculum focused on reducing the behavioral health disparities among the Latino population through training and technical assistance to strengthen and enhance service delivery, promote the growth of a diverse, culturally competent workforce, and bridge access to quality behavioral health services. This has been implemented through the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers and Mental Health Technology Transfer Centers grants from SAMHSA. She also led an educative initiative in the Psychological First Aid (PFA), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Curriculums, and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) to train first responders, parents, family members, caregivers, peers, neighbors, and any other adults to learn how to act as first-responders in the event of a mental health crisis in adolescents, elders, and veterans. In addition, Dr. Carrión is the Director of a community home-based project to enhance linkages and services for persons with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers in the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico. She has publications on diverse topics related to her professional work. 

 

 

Elizabeth Franklin

Elizabeth Franklin, MSW, LICSW 

Chair- Board of Directors 

El Consorcio 

 

Liz is currently the Associate Director of Behavioral Health at Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES) and has facilitated the Consorcio since its inception in 2012. In addition, she teaches the Advanced Clinical Practice with Children and Adolescents course in the School of Social Work's graduate program at the University of Minnesota. She also serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health (MACMH). Liz focuses her direct clinical work on supporting kids, teens, and their parents as they heal from complex trauma experiences, and she particularly enjoys supporting young people with developmental differences in their healing process. She is passionate about helping families and caregivers understand and work with the multiple systems that impact their children in a more empowered way and advocating with those systems to make their processes more inclusive and equitable. She believes strongly that building connections across settings and creating access to high-quality educational and supervisory experiences for providers is central to improving experiences for service participants. 

 

 

Keynote Presentations:

 

The Key Pieces We Have to Keep in Mind: We Are Many More Than Two (Somos mucho mas que dos)   

 

 Javiera Monardez Popelka

Javiera Monardez Popelka, MPH 

Project Coordinator 

Between Us Program 

 

Javiera (Javi) Monardez Popelka (she, her) is a physician from Chile that immigrated to the US in 2012, got her MPH in Community Health Promotion at the University of Minnesota, and now works as the program coordinator of Hennepin Healthcare's teen pregnancy and STI prevention program called Between Us. She has been working with families for more than 13 years and with parents of adolescents for six as part of the Between Us program. In addition, she has worked with the University of Minnesota, University of Maryland, and the University of Florida, researching family-based interventions and adapting parenting curriculums to be used online (apps and websites). Dr. Monardez Popelka has a certificate in Equity and Diversity and is part of the Equity Action Circle from Ramsey County. She is also the owner of Familia Solutions, a company created to support organizations to offer culturally tailored services to the Latinx community. 

 

 

Cultural Considerations for Addressing Mental Health Issues and Racial Discrimination in Hispanic and Latino Children and Youth 

 

 Diane Arms 

Diane Arms, MA 

Director for The Center for Co-occurring Disorders 

The Council on Recovery 

 

Diane Arms currently serves as the Director of The Center for Co-occurring Disorders at The Council on Recovery. She has dedicated her career to serving the Latino population in the Health Field, including Mental Health and Substance Use. She received both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at El Paso. Diane has served as Director of Health Integration at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, Director of Prevention and Counseling at the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, and with the Harris County Health Care Alliance as Program Manager facilitating leadership meetings amongst local FQHCs to identify, address, and resolve systemic issues proactively. Ms. Arms has also served as an Operations Administrator for the children's division unit at Emergence Health Network, El Paso's Local Mental Health Authority. She has successfully implemented programs such as Multisystemic Therapy in a Mental Health Setting and Transition Age Youth, assisting transitioning clients from children's services to adult services in the mental health system. In addition, she spearheaded the transition of the agency's clinical and behavioral health services to telehealth services to accommodate social distancing and stay-at-home orders due to COVID 19. Previously funded projects consist of identifying relationships between stress, depression, and anxiety to substance use and parenting styles in young adult Latinos, investigating the effects of chronic illnesses on children's health-related quality of life in the Colonias, an underserved and impoverished neighborhood along the Texas-Mexico border, and exploring effective decision-making aids on colorectal cancer for the aging Latino population. She sits on the Houston BARC Foundation's board, the City of Houston's Animal Shelter and Adoption Facility. She is also a fellow of the American Leadership Forum, Class 44. 

 

 

Migration, Detention, and Separation: Traumas of Central American Children and Families Seeking Asylum  

 Luis H. Zayas

Luis H. Zayas, PhD 

Dean & Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health & Social Policy 

Steve Hicks School of Social Work 

The University of Texas at Austin 

 

Luis H. Zayas, Ph.D., is dean and the Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health and Social Policy at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and Professor of Psychiatry at the Dell Medical School of The University of Texas at Austin. Zayas is both a social worker and developmental psychologist. His clinical work and research have focused on disadvantaged families, particularly Hispanic and other ethnic/racial minorities. 

 

 

Expanding Possibilities: Flexibility and Solidarity with Under-resourced Immigrant Families during the Pandemic

 

Cecilia Falicov

Celia Falicov, PhD 

Licensed Clinical Psychologist 

Department of Family and Preventive Medicine  

Department of Psychiatry 

University of California, San Diego  

 

Celia Jaes Falicov, Ph.D. is a renowned psychologist, family therapy author and teacher, widely respected for her expertise on cultural diversity and her commitment to social equity. She is the Director of Mental Health Services of the Student Run Free Clinics of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. She is Past President of the American Family Therapy Academy. Dr. Falicov, who grew up in Argentina, received a Ph.D. in Human Development at the University of Chicago. She has pioneered many articles and chapters on family transitions, migration, culture, and context in clinical practice, and received many professional awards for her distinguished contributions. Her books include Cultural Perspectives in Family Therapy; Family Transitions: Continuity and Change over the Life Cycle, and the widely praised Latino Families in Therapy (2nd Edition, 2014). She has also co-authored the 2014 APA book Multiculturalism and Diversity in Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach.

 

Concurrent Workshops:

 

Latino LGBTQ+ Youth Panel 

 

J. Rocky Romero

J Rocky Romero, PhD, LMSW

CEO and owner of JR Romero & Associates

 

Dr. J Rocky Romero, LMSW is the CEO and owner of JR Romero & Associates, a company he started 21 years ago that focuses on behavioral health program development, program evaluation, consultation, and specialized training.  Dr. Romero completed his doctoral studies at the University of New Mexico in Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (LLSS) with a focus on analyzing legal discourse related so Spanish colonization while applying a critical race theory lens.  Dr. Romero was a doctoral fellow for El Centro de la Raza at the University of New Mexico during his doctoral studies where he also served as the President of the College of Education’s student Graduate Association in LLSS.  Dr. Romero is a former Assistant Professor for New Mexico Highlands University School of Social Work in Albuquerque, NM.  He served as the co-chair for Governor Richardson’s New Mexico Higher Education Cultural Competency Taskforce.  Dr. Romero has also served as an Executive Council member for the NM-Consortium for Behavioral Health Training and Research to include many other boards and committees.  Dr. Romero has been a trainer and consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded National Hispanic & Latino-Mental Health Technology Transfer Center for the last 13 years.  In his role as a Technical Assistance expert for the NHL-MHTTC he has recently helped plan, develop, solicit local and national funding for the Northeast Regional Crisis and Treatment Center developed by San Miguel County in Las Vegas, NM.  Also, the NHL-MHTTC has contracted with Dr. Romero and a co-author to create a prevention curriculum on: Latino Youth Gang Involvement: The Impact of Trauma, the Social Determinants of Health, and the School to Prison Pipeline. 

Also, locally Dr. Romero provides program evaluation and training services for the McKinley County DWI program in Gallup, NM and has done so since 2016.  Through his substance use prevention work he is a national and international senior trainer for Clare|Matrix, formerly the Matrix Institute on Addictions, for the last 14 years.  In this role Dr. Romero trains community and government-based agencies on how to implement and utilize the evidence-based substance use disorder model to treatment fidelity.  Dr. Romero trains approximately 25 agencies annually and is the primary trainer for indigenous and tribal communities both nationally and internationally.  

 

Mayra Davila and Ivan Gil

 

More information coming soon….

 

 

Family Therapy Co-Occurring Disorders in Latino Youth

 

Daniel Santisteban  

Daniel A. Santisteban, PhD 

Clinical Psychologist  

Professor Emeritus 

School of Education and Human Development 

University of Miami 

 

Santisteban completed his undergraduate work at Rutgers University, received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and completed his internship at Bellevue Hospital/NYU. Santisteban began his research at the Spanish Family Guidance Center/Center for Family Studies, investigating the process and outcomes of family therapy and adolescent treatment and identifying how cultural factors impact the treatment process. His more recent research program has led to the development of an adaptive and evidence-based family therapy called Culturally Informed and Flexible Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents (CIFFTA). CIFFTA eschews a one-size-fits-all approach, creates a process for tailoring the treatment to the unique adolescents and family cultural and clinical characteristics, and includes decision rules that will allow the treatment to be replicated. Santisteban has received six NIH clinical research grants to develop and test enhancements to family treatments for special populations, a grant from the American Suicide Foundation, and a SAMHSA grant to provide training in Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). His lab welcomes students and post-docs, and professionals who wish to learn family therapy and family research.  

 

 

 

Impact of Bullying on Latino Children and Youth 

 

Patricia Landers

 

Patricia L. Landers Santiago, MEd, PsyD 

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and School Psychologist 

Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico 

 

Dr. Patricia Landers Santiago holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in General Social Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. She completed courses leading to a certification as an Elementary English Teacher. She earned a Master's Degree in Education with a concentration in School Psychology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. She completed a PsyD in Clinical Psychology at the Ponce School of Medicine, today known as Ponce Health Sciences University. She worked for 16 years as an elementary English teacher for the Puerto Rico Department of Education, specifically at Julio Alvarado and Ramiro Colón Colón elementary schools, both in Ponce. Currently, she is an Associate Professor at the Graduate School in Education School Psychology Program of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. She also has her private practice as a School and Clinical Psychologist in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She is past president of the School Psychology Association of PR. She was elected Puerto Rico's representative to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) for the term beginning in summer 2022. She was general coordinator of the 2020 Convention and Co-coordinator of the 2021 Convention of the Puerto Rico Psychological Association (APPR). Currently, she is the 2023 president-elect of the APPR. Dr. Landers Santiago has offered workshops, conferences and training on topics related to regulating emotions, emotional intelligence in the work environment and effective time management. She has collaborated with the MHTTC and the ORN offering workshops on emotional well-being in children and adolescents during the Covid 19 pandemic, Psychological First Aid and Crisis Intervention, among others. In addition, she constantly participates as a mental health specialist in the country's news media.  

 

 

Tailoring Treatment for Gender and Sexually Diverse Latinx Youth with Suicidal Behaviors  

 

Yovanska Duarte-Velez

Yovanska Duarté-Vélez, PhD 

Licensed Clinical Psychologist  

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior  

Brown University 

 

Yovanska Duarté-Vélez received her PhD from the University of Puerto Rico and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and Bradley Hospital. Dr. Duarté-Vélez is also a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience with children and families from diverse backgrounds. Her research interests are developing and tailoring treatments for diverse populations (e.g. ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender) according to their needs and cultural values. Another goal is to incorporate health disparity studies into her research. Her work has focused on the assessment and treatment of Latinx youth with suicidal behaviors in the context of their family and society. She started her career as a clinical researcher in the University of Puerto Rico, where she developed a CBT protocol that addresses culture and adolescence developmental stage as central components in treatment, the Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Behaviors (SCBT-SB) supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). She transported this protocol from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island to expand its applicability to Latinx youth living in the USA through a NIMH training grant. Dr. Duarté-Vélez completed a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the SCBT-SB versus Treatment as Usual (TAU) in a "real world" setting with positive results. Currently, she is conducting a randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the SCBT-SB funded by the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities. She has provided training to clinicians, teachers, gatekeepers, and caregivers in diverse topics related to prevention, assessment, and treatment of mental health. As an immigrant Latina woman in the United States, she has stayed close to her community and participates as a Board Member of "Progreso Latino", the largest community organization in Rhode Island serving the Latinx community.   

 

 

Culturally Modified TF-CBT  

 

Michelle Evans

Michelle Evans, DSW, LCSW, CADC 

Licensed Clinical Social Worker 

 

Dr. Michelle Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Provider and Evaluator. She has worked primarily with the Latinx population throughout her career as a child welfare specialist and forensic evaluator and treatment provider. She is currently the Hospital Administrator for Elgin Mental Health Center in Elgin, Illinois, a state forensic psychiatric hospital. She is in private practice at Nickerson & Associates, PC as a therapist where she treats adults and adolescents with mental health issues, substance abuse issues and sex addictions. She also teaches on these topics at Aurora University and University of Chicago. Previously, she was the Assistant Dean for Health Professions and Public Service at Waubonsee Community College, and she has held other positions within higher education and private psychiatric hospitals. Throughout her career, she has worked to increase equity, justice, and cultural awareness in these institutions.

 

 

Cultural adaptations of EBPS  

 

Oscar Rojas

Oscar Fernando Rojas Perez, PhD 

Dr. Rojas Perez is a Global Mental Health Postdoctoral Psychology Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and Harvard School of Medicine – Massachusetts General Hospital. He received his PhD from the University of Missouri and completed his predoctoral internship at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Rojas Perez has experience working with trauma-exposed immigrants and refugees. He provides culturally responsive care through the use of Motivational Interviewing and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. His research and clinical focus include the linguistic and cultural adaptation of evidence-based measures and treatments.

 

 

Latina Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Cultural Considerations for Treatment: Seeking Safety  

 

Luz Lopez

Luz Lopez, MSW, MPH, PhD 

Social Worker 

School of Social Work 

Boston University 

 

Luz M López, PhD, MPH, MSW - is a faculty member at Boston University School of Social Work, Director of the Global Health Core at the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, and Director of the dual degree program in public health and social work. She has experience conducting prevention, education, and research in the fields of interpersonal violence, trauma, mental health and substance use treatment with Latinos(as)/Latinx and other racial and ethnically diverse communities. She incorporates community participatory research, strength-based practices and anti-violence pedagogy. Dr. López works with immigrants and refugees and provides culturally specific mental health and trauma trainings in partnership with Makarere University in Uganda; with the Superemos Domestic Violence Program in Estelí, Nicaragua and with the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Regional Multidisciplinary Faculty (UNAN-FAREM). She also leads and annual cultural immersion course for graduate students to Puerto Rico, where she was born and raised. Dr. López believes in culturally responsive partnerships to advance health equity, social work, and public health practices around the globe. 

 

 

Multi-dimensional Ecosystemic Comparative Approach (MECA) 

 

Cecilia Falicov

Celia Falicov, PhD 

Licensed Clinical Psychologist 

Department of Family and Preventive Medicine  

Department of Psychiatry 

University of California, San Diego  

 

Celia Jaes Falicov, Ph.D. is a renowned psychologist, family therapy author and teacher, widely respected for her expertise on cultural diversity and her commitment to social equity. She is the Director of Mental Health Services of the Student Run Free Clinics of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. She is Past President of the American Family Therapy Academy. Dr. Falicov, who grew up in Argentina, received a Ph.D. in Human Development at the University of Chicago. She has pioneered many articles and chapters on family transitions, migration, culture, and context in clinical practice, and received many professional awards for her distinguished contributions. Her books include Cultural Perspectives in Family Therapy; Family Transitions: Continuity and Change over the Life Cycle, and the widely praised Latino Families in Therapy (2nd Edition, 2014). She has also co-authored the 2014 APA book Multiculturalism and Diversity in Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach.

 

 

Acculturation: Two Lived Experiences Under One Roof-shift of power dynamics and Cultural Considerations when working with Latino Populations 

 

Alfredo Cerrato

Alfredo Cerrato Lanza 

Senior Cultural and Workforce Development Officer  

Great Lakes Technology Transfer Centers 

 

Alfredo Cerrato is the Senior Cultural and Workforce Development Officer for the Great Lakes Technology Transfer Centers, managed by the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also a nationally certified trainer on Culture: An Integral Part of Mental Health Services, Clinical Application of Cultural Elements in Mental Health Treatment for Hispanic and Latino Populations by the National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center in Puerto Rico, and a national trainer for the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) on cultural topics. Mr. Cerrato has 25 years of international relations experience and specializes in cross-cultural communications, conflict resolution, and process improvement. He has conducted advocacy, policy, and disaster relief work in Northern Ireland, Honduras, Peru, Brazil, Japan, Sri Lanka, and other locations across the globe.  His new focus here at home has been working with Hmong, Hispanic and Latino, and Native American communities through Intensive Training Assistance, curriculum development, and the NIATx Change Leader Academy. 

 

 

Marleny Huerta-Apanco

More information coming soon…

 

 

Closing Remarks 

 

Marisol Chiclana-Ayala

Marisol Chiclana-Ayala, MPA

Minnesota Department of Health

 

Marisol Chiclana-Ayala, MPA, leads the Community Engagement Systems team at the MDH Center for Health Equity and is the co-director of the COVID-19 - Cultural, Faith and Disability Communities Branch. She is also an adjunct professor at St. Catherine University in St Paul. She holds a BA degree in Media Writing and Communications from the Universidad de Sagrado Corazon (PR), a Mini MBA from the University of St. Thomas (MN), and a master's degree in Leadership, Management and Global Affairs from the Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota. In addition, Marisol is a 2006 Archibald Granville Bush Leadership Fellow. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marisol is a proud Afro-Boricua/Afro-Latina, honoring her culture and traditions in Minnesota through her drumming, Bomba singing and her work as the board chair and Director of the BORIKEN CULTURAL CENTER MN, the only Afro-Boricua non-profit organization in the Midway region. Marisol is an energetic public speaker, with more than 25 years of experience working as a public health leader, journalist, professor, interpreter, translator, cultural liaison, diversity specialist, and consultant. She is also the founder of GLOBAL CONSULTANTS, a consulting firm providing services to leaders, community groups and organizations in government and the non-profit sector. Marisol's commitment with her local community includes her role as part of the BORIKEN CULTURAL CENTER MN (www.borikenmn.org), and years of service as one of the trustees for the Ramsey County Library Board (www.rclreads.org) in Minnesota.

 

 

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