mental health care limited for immigrants

[almaty 19]

DE QUEEN, Ark. - If Eleazar Paula Mendez suffered from depression, her adopted hometown in southwest Arkansas was not the place to find help: The small community where she is charged with killing her three children has no mental-health professionals who speak Spanish.

Mendez, who told police she was distraught because her husband wanted a divorce, sought spiritual counseling from her priest, but he also did not know where she could get psychological help.

"Her English is very limited," the Rev. Salvador Marquez-Munoz said. "And who am I going to refer her to around here?"

Arkansas had the second-fastest growing Hispanic population in the 1990s, according to Census figures, but many communities have limited social services catering to them.

In De Queen — which is 50 percent Hispanic — the largest mental-health clinic relies on an interpreter.

"I think it would be helpful to be able to communicate a little bit better," said Michael J. Cluts, director of the Southwest Arkansas Counseling and Mental Health Center.

The town's only private counselor, social worker Daryl Mitchell, has occasionally helped Spanish-speakers who brought a trusted adult to translate.

Depression can affect many Hispanics because of separation from loved ones back home, financial problems and cultural barriers, said Cesar Compadre, who heads La Casa Health Network, a Little Rock-based organization that connects Hispanics with health care resources.

"The way I see it, talking to people, there is an epidemic of depression among the Latino community," he said. "You almost feel it."

The situation is compounded by the lack of Spanish-speaking mental-health workers in Arkansas, he said.

"We have had people come into La Casa and say 'You know, I need help, I feel that I want to hurt my kids,'" he said.

Some immigrants may be nervous about talking about their problems to an outsider if they entered the country illegally, said the priest, Marquez-Munoz. And emotions and nuances are lost in translation.

"It's like trying to watch a movie that has been dubbed," Marquez-Munoz said.

John Shuler, a social worker with Ozark Guidance mental-health group in northwestern Arkansas, said his program has seen improvement after hiring Spanish-speaking counselors last year to work with school children and their parents.

"Whenever you have an interpreter, because you're not speaking directly with the individual, with the client, it can impact the relationship, the therapeutic relationship in a negative way," Shuler said.

In De Queen, a judge has ordered a mental evaluation for Mendez, who is charged with capital murder in the deaths of Elvis, 7, and twins Samantha and Samuel, 5.

The Mexican-born Mendez had lived in the United States about 11 years and last year moved from New York City to Arkansas to raise her children in a safer environment, neighbors said. She was reserved and had few friends, said an acquaintance, M. Rocio Maya.

Police say Mendez, 43, became distraught when her husband, who was working in New York, asked for a divorce. Maya also said he had begun sending her less money.

But her husband, Arturo Morales, said his marriage was good.

"She was probably suffering loneliness due to the physical separation in the last months," Morales said.

Marquez-Munoz, a priest at St. Barbara Catholic Church, said Mendez met with him to speak about her problems in November or December and again about a week before the children were killed.

"Regarding spiritual counseling, I can help with that, but psychological counseling to a profound level, I cannot," the priest said.

Marquez-Munoz said he'd be interested in working more closely with mental-health professionals and doctors — people "who can help heal the many wounds people are carrying, their crosses."

The priest, who is also from Mexico, said he could not discuss what Mendez had told him.

"She did not share with me everything she was dealing with, you know," he said. "It takes time. And she ran out of time."

i remember years ago..doing therapy on an mexican citizen,,and using a phrase book..it was sad....this person was attending the university...

[Fischkoepfin 1]

That's horrible. I never thought of that, and it's probably a common problem in much of the U.S. Thanks for posting.

[pedroh 21]

mhh.. that's interesting.. probably true too, about hispanics suffering from depression due to language barriers.. although it's part of survival of the fittest... the hispanics that are learning english have better opportunities and a better lifestyle than the ones who dont care (in some places there are thousands of free english classes).. but again, the fear of them being illegal makes them nervous about their environment..

although it's weird that she lived in USA since she was young and didn't speak a word in english.. well, who knows.. sad...

[mawilson 2,133]

Guess what, the main language in the US is ENGLISH, not Spanish. If they wish to become part of our

society, they should learn the damn language!

[Chicky 0]

I'm sorry but I have to agree wtih mark here There are plenty of FREE english as a second language classes people can take. I find no excuse in NOT learning English. I wouldn't expect everyone in Mexico to learn English if I moved there. I'd learn Spanish.

[pedroh 21]

I'm sorry but I have to agree wtih mark here There are plenty of FREE english as a second language classes people can take. I find no excuse in NOT learning English. I wouldn't expect everyone in Mexico to learn English if I moved there. I'd learn Spanish.

yes a 100% referring to the tons and tons of free ESL classes.. as U say.. there's NO excuse for hispanics to not try to learn english.. is what gives u dinero!!

NO.. referring to Mexico not being bilingual.. in Mexico they think actually it doesn't hurt and does not affect how much u love your country if you learn a 2nd language.. if our neighbor is USA, why not learning english?? although this bilingualism seems a little one sided though.. lolol..so if u actually go to a big city, u can go wherever u want and expect a bilingual person helping u.. or trying to hit on u

(and I bet a lot of people whose businesses are based on translations - as it happens to me hehehe- u kinda wish they'd learn english, but at the same time, u know that U are the only person who can help them, so.. economically, is not as convenient)

Edited February 7, 2006 by pedroh

[Chicky 0]

Oh I know there are a lot of people in Mexico that speak English I'm was just creating a parallel in that I wouldn't go to another country and expect them to all learn a language for me, I'd learn their language to facilitate communication, if they wanted to learn English thats awesome but I wouldn't expect them to.

[sparkofcreation 0]

I think people above are underestimating how hard it is to speak a language at the level needed for psychotherapy! Free ESL classes will teach you to buy groceries and ask directions and maybe talk to the kids' pediatrician and teachers, and they're certainly a valuable tool, but no matter how well people speak their second language, they'll nearly always connect better to a therapist that speaks their first language. (And depression makes it harder to speak your second language. Also, it makes it harder to find the willpower to leave the house and find said classes. Obviously no one above has ever suffered from serious major depression.) And furthermore, it takes years to become completely fluent in a language.

And while I agree that people in the US should learn to speak English, what is the message you people are trying to send? "We don't care if you kill your children, it's your fault for not having taken free English classes while working two jobs and raising four kids and taking care of your husband and home"? It would be nice if everyone spoke English, but they don't. Are you saying everyone who doesn't speak English should just be allowed to die, and decrease the surplus population?

[ChristinaM 0]

Well I can see a distinct niche market here for any ESL spouses here who are that way inclined - counselling in your native language. It's probably a service people would come from miles around to use.

I think it's a shame that people can't get the support that they need, but at the same time one has to accept that when you move to a country where the primary language is not your own you are going to run up against this kind of thing. Sadly, it's not something that most of us consider until we need it.

[Chicky 0]

LMAO Spark, I love when people pull ####### out of their asses. No one was insinuating that, we are saying how much of risk in these kind of situations not speaking English could put you in and the fact that a lot of times in my area I can't find a job because I don't speak Spanish. HELLO I live in America, how come I can't find a job because I can't speak someone elses language? We were commenting on the language barrier and how we have to have interpreters as people won't learn English. It only hurts the Hispanics as people can't understand them, what if it were an emergency and no interpreter was around? That was our point. Learn English to help yourself

[pedroh 21]

lol.. its a fact.. hispanics need to learn english to have a good life in USA.. but also. I have to say americans are as talibanistic as the extreme muslims when it comes to foreing languages... I can say they are one of the most rejecting people when it concerns to foreign languages lol.. as I've always said.. what is the problem if u know a different language?? does it make u less american si hablas español? I dont think so.. other than that.. yes, mis paisanos need to start being smart and learn english..

on the other hand chicky... is it that u cant find a job because they need spanish only people? or because you're not bilingual?? is not the same thing.. and I dont find any wrong with businesses trying to hire bilingual people.. if other countries have bilingual personnel.. what is the problem.. unfortunately in other countries bilingualism is a competitive advantage..

[mawilson 2,133]

And while I agree that people in the US should learn to speak English, what is the message you people are trying to send? "We don't care if you kill your children, it's your fault for not having taken free English classes while working two jobs and raising four kids and taking care of your husband and home"? It would be nice if everyone spoke English, but they don't. Are you saying everyone who doesn't speak English should just be allowed to die, and decrease the surplus population?

No, I say it's your fault for moving here, not having taken free English classes. No-one forced them to move here.

[Chicky 0]

Well Pedro, I don't see anything wrong with hiring bilingual people, but a lot of companies here will ONLY hire bilingual people due to the high number of Hispanics in our neighborhood. THAT I have a problem with.

[pedroh 21]

Well Pedro, I don't see anything wrong with hiring bilingual people, but a lot of companies here will ONLY hire bilingual people due to the high number of Hispanics in our neighborhood. THAT I have a problem with.

well.. it's the market.. if I lived in Hickory, NC, where there's a high population of hispanics and Hmongs (sp?), I bet they'd hire a trilingual person in less than 5 minutes(which I bet there are)... and if suddenly here where I live there were a massive immigration of rumanians, I swear i'd be learning romanian right now.. just to have a competitive edge.. one has to be flexible to the market, not viceversa.. and.. by the way, are you trying to become bilingual??

but still.. I do agree, that hispanics waste all the free opportunities they have and take ESL classes, although it's true, ESL classes don't teach u how to talk to a shrink, they can teach u how to ask for groceries, how to go to the bank and such and such, but I doubt they'd teach u how to write a philosophical essay.. but.. anything is good.. so they should learn even if its a little bit!! dinero, lo primero

Edited February 7, 2006 by pedroh

[Chicky 0]

I've wanted to learn spanish just havent, I'm half Mexican but have never been in touch with my Hispanic side as I've never known my father, I grew up with my white family and around mostly whites. I agree it gives you an advantage but in some ways I feel discriminated against because I dont speak another language and am unqualified for jobs I'm easily qualified for just because I dont speak a second language.

While ESL classes won't teach them how to talk to a psychiatrist etc it gives them the fundamentals to eventually speak English fluently. Its a start whereas not learning at all isn't moving in the right direction.