Palm Beach County mental health facility connecting minorities to mental health services

A Palm Beach County mental health treatment facility is working to connect more people of color to mental health services.

REBOUND DURING THE COVID-19PANDEMIC.

JULY IS MINORITYMENTAL HEALTH MONTH.

WPTV NEWSCHANNEL FIVES SABIRAH RAYFORDSHOWS YOU A PALM BEACH COUNTYMENTAL HEALTH TREATMENTFACILITY IS WORKING TO CONNECTMORE PEOPLE OF COLOR TO MENTALHEALTH SERVICES.<< FOR LORENA FONTENOT THEAMERICAN DREAM WAS ONCE HERAMERICAN NIGHTMARE12-YEARS-OLD SHE LEFT ECUADORWITH HER MOTHER AND MOVED TOTHE UNITED STATES WHERE SHEGREW UP AS UNDOCUMENTEDIMMIGRANT“IT JUST REALLYAFFECTED MY SELF- ESTEEM NOTHAVING THE SAME OPPORTUNITIESAS MY CLASSMATES.

I WASUNDOCUMENTED SO I COULDNTO COLLEGE, I COULDNFOR COLLEGE, I COULDNLICENSE, I COULDNCAR” LORENA SAYS SHE STARTEDUSING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TOCOPE.“MY ADDICTION JUST TOOKOFF AND IT GOT WORSE.

ICOMMITTED CRIMES AND I GOTINCARCERATED.

I WENT TO THECOUNTY JAIL AND I ACTUALLYENDED UP IN PRISON” ONCE SHEWAS RELEASED SHE WAS DIAGNOSEDWITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.SHE SAYS IT WAS HER DAUGHTERWHO INSPIRED HER TO GET HELP.NOW SHEPATIENT SERVICES MANAGER AT AMENTAL HEALTH TREATMENTFACILITY.“IIMMIGRANT BUT IINCARCERATED THEREOF THAT ALONE” RETREATBEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS WORKINGTO BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THELACK OF MENTAL HEALTHRESOURCES IN SOME MINORITYCOMMUNITIES.“LOOK AT THEPRISON SYSTEM FOR EXAMPLE ITTHE LARGEST HOUSER OFINDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTHAND WHAT DO WE SEE THERE, WESEE A LOT OF MINORITIES”RONALD SEXTON A CLINICALSUPERVISOR AT RETREATBEHAVIORAL HEALTH SAY COVID-19HAS ONLY MADE THE DISPARITIESIN CARE WORSE.

HE SAYS SIGNSOF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUESINCLUDE ISOLATION, OBSESSIVEBEHAVIOR AND CHANGE OF EATINGOR SLEEPING HABITS.“WHENPEOPLE OF COLOR MINORITIESTHEY SEEK HEALTHCARE THEY RUNINTO DIFFERENT BIASES ONE OFTHE THINGS WERETREAT HERE IS WE AREEXPLORING CULTURALCOMPETENCY” REPORTING IN PALMBEACH COUNTY, SABIRAH RAYFORD,WPTV NEWS CHANNEL5.