La Clinica Del Pueblo
Contact:
Gloria Elliott, M.A.
Mental Health & Substance Abuse Department Director
2831 15
th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 462-4788 ext. 241
gelliott@lcdp.org
Jessica B. Moore, B.A.
Mental Health Program Coordinator
2831 15
th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 462-4788 ext 295
jmoore@lcdp.org
Program Description:
About NUESTROS ABUELITOS
La Clínica del Pueblo was founded in 1983 to respond to the needs of the refugee population from Central and South America. La Clínica began as a one-room health clinic operating one night per week with one doctor. In April 2003, La Clínica opened the doors of its own building, a newly renovated clinic with more than 12,000 square feet of space. In 2004, more than 7,500 individuals received health care services at the clinic. This building has helped La Clínica carry out its mission “to provide culturally appropriate health services to persons in the Latino community regardless of their ability to pay.”
As the fastest growing minority subgroup in the country, elderly Latinos endure a severe shortage of culturally appropriate mental health resources. Latinos, particularly Central Americans who are recent immigrants, have a high risk for mental health disorders because they may have experienced war, human rights violations, natural disasters, and the traumatic process of immigrating to a new country to build a new life. In addition, many elderly immigrant Latinos face poverty, domestic violence, isolation, and crime.
With funding from SAMHSA's Older Adult Mental Health Services program, La Clínica del Pueblo and the Educational Organization for United Latin Americans (EOFULA) Spanish Senior Center have developed an integrated system of care for the elderly Latino community in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
The EOFULA Spanish Senior Center was established in 1972. The center’s mission is to assist the Spanish speaking community in overcoming language barriers and other limitations. The center pays special attention to critical community development areas such as education, health, welfare, housing, legal services, and employment. EOFULA aims at providing proper aid and technical assistance in all these areas for community residents--especially the senior population.
The center helps Latino seniors age with independence, dignity, and purpose. Since its founding, EOFULA has provided a variety of vital programs and services with a common goal: to improve the experience of aging in the community and to protect the most vulnerable elderly.
Together, La Clinica and the EOFULA Spanish Senior Center developed the Nuestros Abuelitos/Our Grandparents program. This program, which provides comprehensive, free, mental health services to the Latino elderly community, includes psychoeducational support groups, workshops, individual counseling, psychiatric services, case management, and access to primary medical care.
NUESTROS ABUELITOS PROGRAM SERVICES
Individual counseling and/or psychotherapy at La Clínica and EOFULA:
Two full-time mental health counselors offer counseling to clients at EOFULA and La Clínica. These fully bilingual and bicultural counselors have extensive experience working with the elderly Latino population, and they follow the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model. In addition to their individual counseling, these counselors develop rapport with clients and engage in one-on-one education regarding mental health issues as they encourage clients to seek out other mental health services offered by the program.
Psychiatric services at La Clínica del Pueblo and at EOFULA:
In 2001, La Clínica provided psychiatric services to only 5 Latino adults over the age of 65. Over the last three years, the scope of psychiatric services offered has more than quadrupled. La Clínica’s director of psychiatry, Dr. Mariana Niemtzoff, now provides psychiatric services for 20 elderly patients on a regular basis. She evaluates clients for both mental health and physical problems, prescribes psychotropic medications as necessary, and provides referrals for medical care. Mental health counselors and case managers identify and refer clients in need of psychiatric treatment.
Case Management at EOFULA:
The Nuestros Abuelitos program integrates case management to identify clients in need of mental health services. The case manager assists clients in identifying and applying for public benefits such as Medicare or Medicaid, pharmacy assistance programs, and housing assistance. The case manager also arranges medical appointments and assists clients in accessing the additional resources available through EOFULA, La Clínica, and other Latino service providers. He or she also refers clients to mental health counselors and/or a psychiatrist. Case management is highly effective in serving as a gateway for access to specialized medical or mental health care.
Psycho-educational weekly support group:
Following the “family psycho-education”model, 15 to 20 elderly Latinos meet weekly for a support group. Each session, which is presented as a forum for discussion and socialization, covers a variety of topics including: depression, anxiety, emotional awareness, self-esteem, substance abuse, conflict management, loneliness and isolation, interpersonal relationships, quality of life, fear, spirituality, loss and grief, patience, compassion, aging and creativity, and healthy lifestyles and aging.
NUESTROS ABUELITOS PROGRAM OUTREACH & EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
Charlas: Informal educational sessions:
Mental health counselors facilitate psychoeducational sessions, or “charlas,” for seniors at the center. Charlas provide information on various issues relevant to the elderly and serve as an “entry point” for many seniors to familiarize themselves with mental health issues. Workshop topics include health problems that are particularly relevant to Latinos; these include diabetes and high blood pressure, nutrition, spirituality, cultural adjustment issues, and family-related stress.
Senior Mental Health Promoters:
A key component of the Nuestros Abuelitos program is the team of promotores de salud mental, or senior mental health promoters. The promoters follow the health promotion model to reach out to their fellow community members to raise awareness on mental health issues and aging and to educate them about the mental health and social services available through La Clínica, EOFULA, and other community organizations. The Promotores de Salud Mental are critical for the continued growth and development of Nuestros Abuelitos, as the staff of La Clinica strongly believe that education is key to improving health outcomes among all populations. Educational programs in Spanish for the Latino population are effective because many Latinos feel more comfortable communicating in Spanish and they tend to trust people who speak their own language. The Promotores de Salud Mental participate in ongoing training sessions that help them to serve as liaisons of the clinic and reach elderly Latinos who would otherwise not seek care.
