Every year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 through October 15. This national month of recognition was designed to acknowledge, celebrate, and bring awareness to the unique contributions of those from Hispanic and Latinx communities. As part of our mission, the Department of Mental Health Services (DMHS) is committed to supporting medical learners from all ethnic backgrounds to promote success in their professional and personal lives, despite the societal challenges they may face. DMHS recognizes the importance of highlighting and celebrating these groups so that a true community of inclusion and belonging may be experienced for all medical learners.
Cultivating an inclusive community of diverse learners is important not only for the benefits of classroom instruction but also for the positive impact that it has been shown to have on patient care and health outcomes for marginalized groups. Acknowledging the potential dangers of a “one size fits all” approach to medicine underscores the significance of incorporating diverse perspectives. This allows for a more thorough exploration of cultural nuances in medical practices and patient care. Listening to the experiences of the Hispanic and Latinx members of the IU School of Medicine community can lead to increased cultural competency and provide useful insights on how to enhance healthcare access for these communities.
While there is a lot to be learned from the experiences of those in the Hispanic and Latinx community, we also must acknowledge the hurdles that these medical learners may encounter throughout their medical education journeys. Specifically, learners from these communities may experience adverse situations related to language barriers, discrimination, and acculturation stress. The additive nature of these events can be difficult to manage in conjunction with the demands of medical training and result in negative mental health and wellbeing. DMHS is committed to providing services that are supportive and empathic to the needs and concerns of the Hispanic and Latinx community. We are proud to be able to offer services that are culturally sensitive and validating of the experiences of trainees from various backgrounds. Additionally, DMHS has a trained bilingual therapist available to provide mental health services to individuals who prefer to engage with a Spanish-speaking provider.
Prioritizing your mental health is a pursuit we should all be actively engaged in. One powerful way to achieve this is by celebrating and embracing your cultural identity. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we encourage all members of the IU School of Medicine community to actively participate in activities within our institution and the surrounding community that honor and celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of Hispanic and Latinx individuals. It is our hope that through your committed engagement with these celebrations that you would continue to express solidarity and affirm the importance of cultural identity, which can have broad implications on stress management and the improvement of mental well-being for the entire IU School of Medicine community.
Need to talk?
For trainees: The Department of Mental Health Services is available to provide mental health and personal counseling services to all students, residents, and fellows. There are a few ways to access services:
- To request an appointment with the Department of Mental Health Services, send a secure message via the online portal or call 317-278-2383 during normal business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
- For urgent matters, call 317-278-HELP (4357), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A licensed clinical health specialist will provide an assessment and help direct you to appropriate treatment options based on the situation. You may also call on behalf of a trainee if you are a family member, friend or colleague concerned about their well-being. You may call anonymously, if desired.
- TimelyCare is a free resource to all IU students that allows them to have 24/7 on-demand emotional support as well as scheduled telehealth visits (with some after hours and out of state access) through a national vendor. You can engage with a clinician via phone, video, or video chat. Signing up just requires your student email.
For IU Health employees:
- IU Health Physicians Employee Assistance Program
- IU Health Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Services; call 317-962-8611
- National Crisis Hotline; call or text 988 (available 24/7)
For IU Employees:
- The IU Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides 24/7/365 access to licensed mental health counselors via SupportLinc or 888-881- LINC (5462) for IU School of Medicine team members and their households.
Access to Anthem LiveHealth Online is included with your IU-sponsored medical coverage. This service allows you to engage with a mental health provider via telehealth using your IU insurance provider.
