Advocating for Mental Health: Addressing Barriers and Embracing Telehealth Solutions for Texas' Hispanic Community

Can mental health care truly be accessible to everyone, regardless of background? Join us on this special episode of the Telewellness Hub podcast as we tackle the alarming mental health crisis in Texas, focusing particularly on the Hispanic community in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Hear my personal experiences as a Texas-licensed counselor and uncover shocking statistics, such as Texas ranking last in access to mental health services and a staggering 98% of its counties suffering from a shortage of health professionals. We discuss the significant barriers facing the Hispanic community, including language obstacles, the scarcity of culturally competent providers, and the pervasive stigma around mental health. Our conversation highlights the importance of community support and proposes digital solutions like the innovative Telewellness Hub platform to bridge these gaps.

Imagine a world where telehealth not only improves access but also delivers culturally and linguistically appropriate care. This episode underscores the transformative potential of telehealth, especially for Hispanic individuals in rural or economically disadvantaged areas. We also emphasize the critical role of breaking the stigma and ensuring mental health care is inclusive and accessible to all. Learn how telehealth can offer a lifeline to those who need it most, and join us in advocating for digital enhancements in mental health care. As we close this mini episode, we leave you with a poignant reminder: mutual support and inclusivity are essential to making real progress in mental health care for everyone.

Chapters

• 0:00 Mental Health Crisis in Texas
• 8:40 Barriers to Hispanic Mental Health Care
• 24:02 Inclusive Mental Health Care for All

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hi everyone and welcome to this special episode of the Telewellness Hub podcast, where listening is not just a simple passive act. It's an act of self-care, and today I want to explore mental health and wellness in today's ever-changing world. Specifically in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we'll be focusing on the mental health crisis here in Texas, specifically where I am located and based out of and licensed as a counselor. I really want to bring some light to how the mental health crisis disproportionately affects our Hispanic communities and what we can do to support one another during these challenging times. Do to support one another during these challenging times. There's a lot going on in the world and I just want to highlight how we can really support our Hispanic population through supporting mental health, and the mental health landscape in Texas is facing a very rapidly growing crisis. Texas is facing a very rapidly growing crisis, but there's hope on the horizon and as we dig deeper into this conversation, I hope we can shine a light on how telehealth in specific and community support, as well as culturally competent care, can help us bring a bridge to the gap that exists us bring a bridge to the gap that exists. So, in preparation for this episode, I've been doing a lot of research about the mental health crisis in Texas and I have some really just alarming facts to share.

Speaker 1: 1:38

Texas, like many other states, is facing a severe mental health crisis and, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, also known as NAMI, texas ranks absolutely last place 51st place in the United States in terms of access to mental health services, and this finding, this ranking, has been repeated by numerous credible sources. In fact, nearly 98% of Texas counties are designated as health professional shortage areas. That's a federal designation and a federal label, meaning that mental health professionals are in short supply compared to the population of those counties. 98% Texans across the state, then, are struggling to access the mental health care they need, and the demand far outweighs the available resources, and I have felt this as a Texas licensed counselor and supervisor myself. The flip side to this is we see the need to support more people, but there's only so much we can do. When we're in sessions offering one-to-one appointments, you know we have billable hours, and I know that for myself. I can say that I remember wishing like I wish there was I could do more so that, while I'm in this session with this client, I can create resources for someone who might be needing help in the areas that I might work in right, like anxiety or ADHD, and I know that a lot of my colleagues in Texas feel this way.

Speaker 1: 3:26

We want to better serve our communities, but there's only so much we can do without facing burnout ourselves and even just the feasibility of the way things are set up in terms of really only having one of us right One of us for one private consultation, and that's, in part, what led to me creating tele-wellness hub. I wanted to create a platform where I could share resources, I could be um, someone could connect with me, someone can message me directly without having to pay play phone tag. Someone could see YouTube videos I've I've shared or download any digital content. I know people have created books and affirmation cards and they have their TED Talks available and their books that they've created available for sale on Amazon. There are many ways to enrich your life and to support your mental health journey outside of one-on-one appointments. If that's not what you're looking for, there are so many ways that you can find support and I wanted to create a credible, trustworthy platform for that, while amplifying the visionaries and the creators and the creatives in mental health so that they can have a way to really make an impact. They can make an impact one-on-one through their appointments and an impact outside of sessions.

Speaker 1: 4:55

So, um and and also, I wanted to be able to easily refer clients somewhere. I would have people reach out, leave me messages and when I would finally be able to to get back to them, because I was not I can't, obviously, answer the phone while I'm in session with somebody. When I was able to get to my messages, I would find that I wasn't the best clinician for them, that I would actually do them a disservice If I started sessions with them. They needed someone more specialized Trauma, for example. I'm not certified in trauma and I don't have the specialized training that so many of my colleagues do. So I often refer out, but sometimes finding the ideal person to refer to is very difficult. Sometimes there were times that there were no counselors in my city that could support someone in their needs for their mental health sessions. So that's where tele wellness hub was born out of this crisis that exists and my, my desire to make an impact through creating a resource for people that could shed light in their mental health journey so that they can feel empowered, both clinicians and clients alike.

Speaker 1: 6:16

But let's focus, let's rewind a little bit and focus on how this mental health crisis, particularly Texas, ranking last in the US in terms of access to mental health services, and 98% of our counties are designated as health professional shortage areas. Let's focus on how this impacts one of the largest communities in Texas, which is Hispanic populations, reeling it back to Hispanic Heritage Month. So, with more than 11 million Hispanic individuals living in Texas, this community makes up nearly 40% of the state's population and, sadly, despite these numbers, many in the Hispanic community face significant barriers to accessing mental health care, whether it's due to language barriers, a lack of culturally competent providers or even the stigma surrounding mental health. Many are left without the help they need. In fact, research tells us that Hispanic adults are 50% less likely half as likely to receive mental health services than their non-Hispanic counterparts, and this means that serious conditions like depression, anxiety, ptsd and substance abuse often go untreated or unaddressed, leading to devastating impacts on individuals and families. And, beyond that, that affects our communities, that affects the people we go to work with, the children that our kids go to school with. It affects our neighbors, it affects us on a community level. So I find it personally. This is an important conversation for me to have. As a licensed clinician in Texas who works with Spanish-speaking individuals, I see the importance to highlight this. In Hispanic Heritage Month, there's a lot to celebrate, and I think that we could even celebrate more by really caring for our Hispanic community through mental health care and I think by addressing the barriers to Hispanic health care, we can come up with some solutions and factors to consider.

Speaker 1: 8:40

Why are so many in our Hispanic communities falling through the cracks when it comes to mental health care? I think, first, language barriers are a major hurdle. Many mental health professionals don't speak Spanish, making it difficult for Spanish-speaking individuals to receive the care they need in a language that they're comfortable with. In fact, studies show that language-concordant care, meaning care provided in the patient's native language, is crucial for effective mental health treatment. So when you can't fully express yourself and or express your emotions or explain your symptoms in your native language, it becomes nearly impossible to receive the right diagnosis or the right treatment.

Speaker 1: 9:22

Next, we have the issue of cultural competence. So mental health treatment is not a one-size-fits-all. It's important to note that care providers who understand the cultural values, the cultural beliefs and traditions of the Hispanic community really are people to be celebrated, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month, for example. Family is often central in Hispanic cultures, and involving family members in mental health care can make a huge difference. But many mental health professionals don't fully understand these dynamics, and that can lead to misunderstandings or perhaps even inadequate care.

Speaker 1: 10:05

And let's not forget about stigma. In many Hispanic communities, there's still a strong stigma attached to mental health issues. People are often reluctant to seek help because they fear being labeled as weak or crazy, and this stigma can prevent people from talking about their struggles or even recognizing that they have struggles or may benefit from help in the first place. And lastly, the barrier that I want to highlight is one that I mentioned before the issue of access. Many Hispanic individuals live in rural or economically disadvantaged areas, where access to mental health care is already limited. So, in fact, so 98% of counties in Texas already have low provider ratio to the population. They're federally designated as mental health provider shortage shortage areas. And add to that the fact that 23% of Texans have a lack of internet, then you can see why even telehealth services may not reach those who need them the most.

Speaker 1: 11:16

So I want to highlight the possibility for telehealth and digital solutions to bridge the gap and I guess, as part of this Hispanic Heritage Month episode, really highlight to any of those who offer telehealth who have considered offering telehealth to the Hispanic community to really take this into mind and really take this into consideration how expanding your paperwork for whatever industry you might be in, for expanding the opportunity for internet access, even in public communities, what a big impact this can have. I truly believe that digital solutions can bridge this gap, and specifically telehealth. With all these barriers in mind, the question becomes how do we start bridging gaps? And the one solution that I think holds a lot of promise is telehealth. Telehealth has the potential to break down the physical barriers that prevent people in these rural or underserved areas from accessing care, and by connecting individuals with mental health professionals over the internet, we can offer a way for people to get help from the comfort of their own homes, regardless of where they live, so regardless if they live in 98% of the counties in Texas, or regardless of the distance they may need to travel. It's important to note that telehealth isn't just about convenience. I think there's a misconception about that. I think it's also an empowering tool that can offer culturally competent language, specific care and really specialized care.

Speaker 1: 13:01

I'm going to share a little story with you all. At the time when I remember I was working with in my group practice, I was working with a client and they needed specialized care, specifically a certified sex therapist, and there were none at the time. There are at least one that I know of now I have since moved from El Paso, but before I more. There are at least one that I know of. Now I have since moved from El Paso, but before I moved I knew there was one um no certified sex therapist in El Paso and I thought I really want to help these people, but I know that I would be doing them a disservice if I if I did so. I I've received continuing education units in this area, but I was not certified and ethically I couldn't continue with them and I wanted to but couldn't.

Speaker 1: 13:53

So I was Googling. I was Googling sex therapists when can I find someone nearby? And unfortunately I couldn't find someone in our state. New Mexico was very close by, but they were licensed in New Mexico, not in Texas, and I needed someone licensed in Texas for my Texas client and I found some options, but they were obviously too far away in cities like Dallas and Austin, cities like Dallas and Austin, which, if you're listening, you're not located in Texas. Texas is so huge, it's such a big state that going to driving to Austin from El Paso is almost the same distance as driving from El Paso to San Diego, california, so it's about 10 hours away. So that wasn't an option, and so I spent a lot of time, hours, truly trying to find a provider that could see this client, that would fit their needs, that was certified and could see them through telehealth, and this is the beauty in being able to support each other through telehealth.

Speaker 1: 15:11

So anyone who's listening and has considered offering a digital enhancement to their work it might not even be within counseling. Maybe you're listening and you work in a different sector of a different industry altogether. I think there's a lot of opportunity to bridge gaps and access to support and care by offering digital solutions. So I'm going to highly encourage you to write that blog post, create that digital, download the e-book, share an affirmation, because someone out there is looking for you and looking for that specific service you may offer or product you may offer. And, specifically when it comes to mental health, telehealth platforms can connect individuals with bilingual providers who understand their cultural context, and it can really help eliminate the language barrier and provide care that is both compassionate and effective.

Speaker 1: 16:11

And that's my goal with tele-wellness hub too, is that it allows us to be able to really easily find the ideal provider, uh, for our needs and I say are because I've I've been there, I've needed to find a therapist before. It is not easy, especially, you know, I was a single mom. I was working on Wednesdays, eight to eight, back to back, seeing clients, and the really only the only time I could try to find, um, a therapist was was after my kids went to bed and of course, I wasn't going to get ahold of anybody at that time and it was a really hard process. And I I just, I think, being able to even bridge the gap with having providers be able to show exactly who they are, who are they, what do they offer, in one digital hub that was one of my goals with Telewellness Hub to make it easier for us when we're trying to find the right care.

Speaker 1: 17:16

So I also, with that in mind, think that telehealth can be a tool for fighting stigma, because people I found are more comfortable accessing care from their home instead of having to go into a clinical setting. I've also found people share that. You know sometimes they worry someone will see their car or recognize them coming in and out of an office. Of course, I'm biased and I don't think there should be a stigma towards seeking mental health support, but I understand that some people may be more comfortable accessing care from their home first instead of a clinical setting, and this can make it easier for individuals to take the first step in getting the help they need without worrying about the judgment or stigma that may come from seeking care in person. So if you're someone listening and you're thinking about getting care, I really recommend checking out telehealth as an option because you can do it from the comfort of your home. I've had people show up and you know the first thing in the morning in their pajamas for an early morning session. They have their pets there and they're drinking their coffee and it's just whatever makes you more comfortable. That's the most important thing that you're comfortable and you're and you're seeking help, and that is that is the most important thing. And so how can we support one another? That's something that I really was thinking about. How can we support one another? Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month from a Hispanic provider to the world, to anyone listening.

Speaker 1: 18:40

I think that as we discuss these challenges, it's important to remember that mental health care is not just about individual responsibility. Right, it's not about the individual finding help. It's not about one individual provider finding a referral. I think community support is so important. It plays a huge role in helping one another through difficult times, and I wrote down some ways that I think that we can support each other and advocate for better mental health care in Hispanic communities.

Speaker 1: 19:09

The first, I think, is talking openly about mental health. I think break the stigma by talking openly with your family and friends about mental health and sharing your own experience can encourage others to do the same Again. You never know when someone might be listening and really your words could have a huge impact in ways you may never know. Really, your words could have a huge impact in ways you may never know, and I get to see this from the privacy of therapy sessions. I hear clients share things that have made such a positive impact that I wonder if the person who shared those words even know the meaning. And so just talk openly about mental health. Feel free to break the stigma within yourself or among you know, when you talk with your friends or family about it. If you feel comfortable, I could encourage others to do the same. The second is encourage seeking help. So if you notice someone struggling, encourage them to seek professional help.

Speaker 1: 20:09

There are so many great directories out there. Of course I love tele-wellness hugs. There are so many great directories out there. Of course I love tele-wellness hugs. I created it. It's what I think is the ideal directory, but there's some other ones out there. Psychology Today can show you something based in your zip code Latinx Therapy, I think, is a big one for Hispanic Heritage Month to mention, but I think they're just starting the process. It could be overwhelming, but contacting your insurance and getting a list starting that way can help too. Sometimes it's just getting encouraged to seek help. Sometimes that gentle nudge from someone they trust can make such a big difference and, I think, another one. The third thing that I think is important to note is learn about available resources. So, whether it's telehealth options, community mental health centers, online support groups there are so many mental health resources available. Support groups there are so many mental health resources available.

Speaker 1: 21:19

I try to simplify this process through tele-wellness hubs so you can find the support that you need. You can chat with our on our homepage. We have an AI chat bot, that wellness match, and you can even share, like this, how I've been feeling, and I've programmed it. We've programmed it so that it can lead you to maybe the type of therapy you need or the type of support. Um, maybe the some resources, some blog posts, some different uh videos that you can check out. And and the beauty of all of this with tele wellness hub is none of them are my employees, none of them work for me. They they are all independently practicing clinicians and you're supporting other entrepreneurs who really want to make a big impact as as mental health providers, so you can check out their content. I have providers on there who have listed. I've just I'm just so amazed by the work that these colleagues I consider them colleagues, colleagues are doing. They've created books. Some of them are national bestsellers. Um, they've been on Ted talks. They've um share their social media. Of course, social media and all these things do not replace therapy and it's important to get individual support, clinical support, but it's a really great start to gaining access to mental health resources and you never know when you might need to share that information with someone in need. It's an opportunity for you know, scrolling and searching to be something that's good for you.

Speaker 1: 22:49

A fourth step is advocate for more bilingual and culturally competent providers. Don't be afraid to speak up in your workplace that we might need someone who can offer care in Spanish and understand the cultural nuances that impact Hispanic communities specifically. For you know, in mental health care, that might be that you know, if you're in a hospital setting community clinic, you might need to advocate. Hey, if you're in a hospital setting a community clinic, you might need to advocate, hey, we need them. We need mental health care providers who can offer care in Spanish and that's their and they're fully bilingual, okay, and that they can fully understand the cultural nuances. I think that's really important. And the fifth thing is supporting digital literacy, so helping friends and family members learn how to use technology to access services online, whether it's setting up a virtual appointment or navigating online mental health resources or any other resources. Really, I think offering a bit of help can make services more accessible.

Speaker 1: 23:56

So, as we wrap up today's episode, I just really had it in my heart to share this.

Speaker 1: 24:02

I recently submitted a grant application for the Digital Equity Competitive Grant, I was just in this past week really in working on this desire to bridge the gap that exists in mental health and digital equity.

Speaker 1: 24:30

I thought the data just shows over and over how, for our Hispanic communities, they are very much underserved. So I think that I want to leave you with the reminder that I know this was targeted towards more Hispanic communities and how we can support them and mental health and how important that is. But as we wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with a reminder that mental health is for everyone. No matter who you are or where you came from, you deserve access to care that meets your needs. For our Hispanic communities, it's important that we keep pushing for more culturally competent care and breaking surrounding mental health, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and ensuring that telehealth services are accessible and effective. But mental health is for everyone. Thank you for joining me for this special mini episode of the Telewellness Hub podcast in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Remember we are all in this together and by supporting each other, we can make mental health care more accessible and more inclusive for all. Stay well and until next time, take care.