This workshop will review the unique health disparities that the Latinx community faces while presenting Latino Behavioral's peer support model as an effective tool for supporting the community's mental health and substance use needs. At the end of this workshop, participants will understand how Latino Behavioral's peer support model is utilized to provide culturally and linguistically responsive mental health and substance use services to the Latinx community.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe 3-5 health disparities faced by the Latinx community;
- Identify 3-4 ways to peer support can be cultural responsive for the Latinx community;
- Describe 2-3 aspects of a successful systematic approach to effective peer support for the Latinx community;
- List at least 4 tools for supporting effect peer support services.
About the presenters:
Natanael (Nata) Choi, pronouns he/they, is originally from Bolivia and is half Peruvian and half Korean. Nata identifies as a biracial, bicultural, and bilingual queer undocumented individual who holds his identities with pride and fortitude. Nata currently works at Latino Behavioral Health Services as the Director of Peer Services and is a recent graduate from the University of Utah with a master's in Social Work. Nata has been working with the Latinx community for over 4 years and has developed several psychoeducational programs for children and their parents as well as an academic peer support program for school districts around the state of Utah. Nata is also the co-founder of Unidxs (Ooo-knee-dex), an organization focused on empowering and providing a space and a voice to queer and Latinx folk. Nata's goal is to bring awareness of the importance of mental health in QTBIPOC communities and empower them using decolonized therapeutic interventions and indigenous practices.
Miriam Gutierrez (Pronouns: she/her/ella) Miriam was born in Sonora, Mexico, and moved to Utah at the age of 4. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in Spanish from Weber State University. Currently serving as the Youth Programs Coordinator and Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) for Latino Behavioral Health Services, Miriam leverages her personal experience with mental health to guide youth aged 12-26 in their recovery journey from substance use and mental health disorders. Her passion lies in being the supportive adult she wished she had during her teenage years. Drawing inspiration from the wisdom and kindness of Winnie the Pooh, Miriam strives to bring this energy into her work. In her free time, she enjoys movies and spending quality time with her siblings and friends.
