Our Mental Health project identifies the unique mental health needs of Latinx and Indigenous Latin American immigrant communities focusing on the voices of members of the Purépecha community. The Purépecha are an indigenous group from Michoacán Mexico.
Mental Health
Behind the Project
Our team collaborates with the UC Riverside Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience residency program and Insight Family Counseling and Wellness Services Inc to carry out project activities.
Principle Investigator: Ann Cheney, PhD Community Investigator: Maria Pozar
Project Coordinator: Jacqueline Moreira Student Assistant: Liliana Talavera Pozar
Healthcare Provider: Dr. Pablo Ruiz Therapist: Muriel Casamayor, PhD
Lead Promotora: Yesenia Pozar
What We’re Doing Now
Our team recently visited members of the Purépecha community in Pennsylvania, Florida, Washington, and California meeting with families, leaders, and healthcare and community organizations serving this community. You can learn more about the Purépecha community in our site visit report [Español] [English]. This work is funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Check out our PCORI project page.
During our visits, we learned that families are leaving their communities in Michoacán, Mexico to seek asylum in the United States. We partnered with lawyers and mental health therapists to provide education on the legal process and mental healthcare resources. For more information, view our talks where we discuss the experience of asylum and process of asylum seeking and medical and mental healthcare resources.
Community Reports
Findings from our visits to Purépecha communities are reported here.
Purépecha Community: Site Visit Report