 |
cambio
de colores (change of colors) |
march
12-14, 2003 |
||||
| poster & table exhibits | ||||||
| Last updated: July 3, 2003 |
Mental Health PanelBy Mariana
De Maio Moderator: Goal: The purpose of this panel was to define mental health and the challenges and misconceptions that it poses, examine its importance to a Latino client and the measures that are being taken to accommodate non-English-speaking clients. Panelists:
Iberty Gedeon, Mattie
Rhodes Bilingual Therapist Latino men and mental health: an overview of needs, intervention and personal experiences Resources: Carrillo, Ricardo and Jerry Tello, Family Violence and Men of Color: Healing the Wounded Male Spirit Let me start by sharing two passages that changed the way I relate to Domestic Violence: Yo le pregunt� a mi abuelo lo quiere decir Macho� I asked my grandpa what macho meant. It means being strong enough to be kind and gentle. I don�t understand, Grandpa. What about the men who are big and strong, and hurt people. Oh my grandson, they haven�t become macho yet. Juan Carold Heredia
The Bridge Story: She found a woman at the foot of a bridge. Women gathered in circles and she asked them to help her guide across the woman bridge. They agreed, and a few days later she was asked to take her son over the man bridge. No one was there. Insecurities She saw some men drinking and laughing. The mother called out and asked the men to lead her son across the bridge. They laughed. Men are left to lead each other into manhood by ourselves. How are we supposed to help this boy across the bridge when we haven�t even crossed ourselves? Leave him here. Why are you worried? the women asked. They were lying, arguing. The young man heard and then started not trusting himself. He got afraid at the middle of the bridge and turned back. Expectations, Insecurities, Labeling, and Uncertainty & Fear � This is applies to the bridge story. Four stages: Acknowledging pain: Needs are defined when there is a culturally sensitive, honest, and empathic acknowledgment of pain. What are the elements? I need to connect to the new country. 1) Carlos, 39, who met his wife at age 12. He left for 2) Juan, 42, Mexican male who left his wife and daughter in his hometown. He met a woman here and wanted to start a family. His wife refused to give him a divorce. The new woman had two daughters. He became violent. Juan had to hit rock bottom in order to help himself. Interventions with a circular and harmonious effect (pre-healing process)
We have to identify victims as perpetrators. When I have worked with them, I learned that they give pain and experience pain. This puts men in a position to be accountable. They must get ready to join hands with women to stop family abuse, substance abuse. We need a revolution of healthy men standing together to help those who are not. I�m hoping that we will have a group at All things are possible. My passion is to find healthy, gentle men to lead the communities. Change:
Renee Valdovino, Mental Health Therapist, Rose Brooks Shelter. Two or three years ago, we made a connection with Mattie Rhodes. In the last six years, there was a change in the population we serve. We have a commitment to serve the Latino population. Steps that 1) Hiring bilingual staff: examined alternate ways of recruiting. � Creative newspaper ads, posters, and flyers in Spanish-speaking community. � Changed criteria � removed the requirement of bachelor�s degree from ads because they are looking for people who are advocates and who have people skills. Got more applicants. � Requested bilingual students. 2) Retaining bilingual staff: provide additional training to staff on domestic violence and social service, assist staff in boundary setting, educate others on staff�s role and responsibility. 3) Orientation to shelter environment: signs in English and Spanish, create (not translate) a Spanish handbook, create a Spanish-language video tour in case a bilingual staff member is not available. Before, it took many days for a Spanish-speaking victim to even get oriented at the center. Now they have enough interpreters. There are three teams and each has a lead person in charge of dealing with Spanish-speaking patients. 4) Translation of all forms: allow time; consider it a priority. 5) Coordinate with other social services agencies: designate a lead person on each team to coordinate services, seek services specifically for undocumented population (housing, health, employment), advocate for system changes (battered immigrant women�s eligibility for federally funded transitional housing), partnership with Mattie Rhodes and International Women�s Institute from relationships with immigration attorneys. 6) Crisis hotline: fill vacancies with Spanish speaking staff now on day and evening shifts in central office, research funding for language line (look for grant), Spanish voicemail message which directs families to police station, list of Spanish questions and responses for staff. 7) Ongoing training and education for staff: Diversity Development Committee, �Food for Thought,� Monthly trainings, Core Competency evaluation forms for all staff, include section on �respect for diversity,� minimum compliance requires participation in a minimum of 3 diversity trainings a year, supervisors also graded on this; how they encourage and support diversity among employees. 8) Food and Television Food � listen to clients, what kind of food they need. Have a kitchen, snack bar, and television (with mandatory schedule to allow novela-watching time) Community living issues: �Reflections� group series for residents-diversity communication skills, conflict resolution. Prioritize Spanish/English speaking roommates � not to segregate, but it�s easier to solve problems if they speak the same language. Retreats, group interaction with interpreter Incorporate questions into bio-psycho-social assessment to identify cultural needs. Hold focus groups to identify needs. Ordered posters to celebrate women of color. Raise awareness of history. Need for interpreters. Write grants, utilize bilingual on-call staff. Judge Christine Sill-Rogers, Associate Circuit Judge, Division
31, Domestic violence is a major issue in this court. The court�s focus is not �touchy-feely�-- the purpose is to keep the person who�s petitioning out of immediate danger. Some of the criteria for those who can file:
When a non-English speaker comes to court, the State Court Administrator has 24- hour access to interpreters who speak 140 languages through a speaker phone. Usually, people who come, come with a friend who speaks both languages. I decided whether or not to enter the order of restraint taking this into consideration (on-the-spot finding):
I don�t see them face-to-face, but on reading the petition, I decide if the petitioner is in immediate danger; if so, I sign the petition. Then, it comes to a full hearing. At the proceedings, the interpreter is sworn in. He or she promises under oath to interpret both sides accurately so the court and parties can understand what is occurring. Notice is given to respondent: 1st time: Class A misdemeanor. He can�t carry a firearm anytime order is in effect 2nd time: Class D and also any time after that I have seen almost every language under the sun in my courtroom. I almost never allow a family member or friend to interpret, because the record has to be as close to perfect as possible. I take complete control of the family once danger is determined. I will never let the respondent return to her house if he is violent. I decide who stays in the house and who leaves. (Don�t have to be married, leaseholder, or the person paying rent to stay, although in the long run, that�s problematic) If abusive at all towards children, they get their own lawyer. �Supervised Visitation� available for violent parent with children. Judge�s focus is keeping people alive. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
