Today, September 15, marks the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month, in which we celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the unique needs and considerations regarding mental health for Hispanic communities, and how we can best support them. 

It is our privilege to be partnering with the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA) and others for the 2022 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference taking place September 15 and 16, featuring remarks from AFSP’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Christine Yu-Moutier, and Vice President of Public Relations, Maria de los Angeles Corral. 

We are also thrilled to announce that this October, in collaboration with NLBHA, we will be launching Talk Saves Lives™ (TSL): An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Latinx and Hispanic Communities, a much-needed and vital new resource for mental health and suicide awareness education for communities of Hispanic heritage. The presentation will be available in English and Spanish, in person and virtually. 

Join us this month as we shine a light on mental health resources for Hispanic communities, as well as the stories and perspectives of individuals who have reflected in AFSP’s Real Stories blog over the years on their cultural background and how it can impact their experiences with mental health. You can find those resources, stories, social sharables and more here. If you’re a Spanish speaker and would like to experience afsp.org in Spanish, you can also take advantage of our accessibility tool to translate every page on the site. Just click on “Accessibility” in the upper right-hand corner found on any page to get started. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate Hispanic communities, and to support them. We encourage you to share the resources above, this month and beyond.