January 17, 2008
by Erin G. Edwards
Matie Ovalle, a Chicago mother of three, recalls a family road trip to her hometown in Mexico when her 7-year-old twins became suspiciously silent.
She discovered her twin sons thought that once you crossed the border, English was off-limits.
Ovalle’s twins have high functioning autism, causing them to have trouble developing language and social skills. Early on, doctors treating Ovalle’s sons suggested they do exactly what happened at the border: pick one language and stick to it. Later, Ovalle discovered this wasn’t sound advice and her sons weren’t properly diagnosed until 3rd grade.
Ovalle, whose twins are now 17-years-old, said much better information is now available for bilingual parents with autistic children and that her sons have made amazing progress towards independence.
Still, researchers are finding that the U.S. healthcare system is falling particularly short in serving the Hispanic community.
“Among Hispanic Americans with mental disorders fewer than one in 11 contact mental health care specialists, while fewer than one in five contact general health care providers,” according to a 2001 report by the U.S. Surgeon General. The report found problems in the availability, accessibility and utilization of mental health services for Hispanics.
General practitioners sometimes cannot identify mental health problems, said Abra Kinkopf, the Multi-Cultural Outreach Coordinator at the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Greater Chicago. This can lead to misdiagnosis.
Kinkopf organized a Latino mental health workshop Wednesday to connect social service agencies with resources that will help them serve this population.
“Access to services is the major issue,” said Dr. Elina Manghi, clinical services director at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Family Clinic. She said barriers to access include language, financial constraints and trust.
The clinic, which provides comprehensive assessment services for children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities, also houses the Hispanic Diagnostic and Family Support Program.
The clinic launched Grupo SALTO (meaning Group JUMP), the Chicago area’s only support group for Hispanic families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), said Irma Hernandez, program coordinator of the Hispanic Diagnostic and Family Support Program.
Parents from all over the Chicago area come to SALTO’s monthly meetings, which consist of training sessions for the parents and art classes for the children and their siblings.
Manghi said the group has grown from only a few families to more than 150 families in a few years.
“These are parents that don’t have the financial resources to look for private training, but yet they want to learn and they want to help their children,” Manghi said.
Other organizations in the Chicago area are starting to pay close attention to the mental health needs of Hispanics.
As part of a larger outreach effort, the Center on Halsted’s Mental Health Program launched an immigrant support group for Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Spanish speakers this fall.
“It’s not a therapy group, it is a support group,” said Jacqueline Luna, an intern with the mental health program. “Managing stress, dealing with isolation and depression. … It’s definitely a safe space, not only to be out as LBGT, but to be out as immigrants … and to connect with each other about the difficult things they may be going through,” Luna said.
Source: Medill Reports
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