« Previous | Main | Next »
Latino Mental Health Clinic
» College of Humanities and Sciences
Promoting the mental health of Latinos — especially immigrants — is a local and national public health priority. 
While the rate of mental health disorders among Latinos is similar to that of non-Latino whites, Latinos are less likely to seek and receive mental health treatment because of language barriers, limited availability of bilingual treatment providers, cultural mistrust and stigma. Many of these barriers may be exacerbated in cities, such as Richmond, that are experiencing the rapid growth of a new Latino community.
In an effort to address this health disparity, faculty members and graduate students from the departments of Psychology and Psychiatry established a partnership with the Hispanic Liaison Office and other local groups to conduct community-based research to identify the health and services needs of the local Latino population.
The project’s findings highlighted the significant need for bilingual mental health services, as well as the barriers to treatment. In response, Rosalie Corona, assistant professor of psychology, and Lillian Stevens and Carla Shaffer, clinical psychology doctoral students, established the Latino Mental Health Clinic to provide culturally based bilingual mental health services and community education to Latinos.
Get involved
To support this program or get involved as a volunteer, contact Rosalie Corona at racorona@vcu.edu.