Binational Research-Practice Partnerships for Mental Health of Latinx Transition-Age Youth

Session Type: Conversation Roundtable

Abstract

COVID-19 has perpetuated mental health disparities, worsened social disadvantage, and delayed important developmental milestones among the Latinx transition-age population (18-25 years old). This trend is alarming because Latinx young adults experience sociocultural stressors related to systemic racism, have low rates of health insurance, and are less able to access or pay for COVID-19 treatment or testing. For these reasons, it is critical to understand how COVID-19 has affected the mental health and wellbeing of Latinx young adults.
Researchers, a community organization advocate, and a Mexican public health official will discuss a partnership formed to assess and address the mental health needs of Latinx transition-age youth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austin, TX. The goals of the roundtable are to: (a) present a nuanced understanding of the mental health of Latinx young adults during the pandemic, (b) describe the partnership’s recruitment strategy and data collection during the pandemic, (c) reflect on the assets and levers of the partnership that enhanced the organizations’ ability to respond to COVID-19 in the Latinx population locally, nationally, and binationally, and (d) present a shared agenda for using research data to fast-track a COVID-19 responsive mental health promotion model through a community health worker program located within the Mexican Consulate of Austin and available in 50 consulates across the United States.
Carmen Valdez (moderator); Deliana Garcia, Nelly Salgado de Snyder, and Alice Villatoro (participants)

Sub Unit

• Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Moderator

• Carmen Valdez, University of Texas at Austin

Panelists

• Alice Villatoro, University of Texas at Austin

• Deliana Garcia, other

• V. Nelly Salgado de Snyder, Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Mexico