Partners’ Health Promotion “Depression Awareness Campaign for Older Latino Adults” Launched September 1, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA
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For Immediate Release: National, Greater Los Angeles Area, San Fernando Valley
July 29, 2008
Partners in Care Foundation’s “Latino Depression Awareness Campaign For Older Adults, Their Families and Caregivers” to Launch September 1, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA
(San Fernando, CA, April 1, 2008) - Partners in Care Foundation will launch the “Latino Depression Awareness Campaign for older adults, their families and caregivers in the Los Angeles area, September 1st, announced W. June Simmons, President and CEO of the San Fernando based Partners in Care Foundation. The campaign is designed to create awareness among the Los Angeles older adult Latino population, their families and caregivers about the symptoms of depression, the barriers to seeking treatment and other issues that prevent Latino older adults from improving their mental health.
With generous support from the Aetna Foundation, the campaign will provide a series of culturally sensitive presentations, bilingual materials, bilingual radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and posters prominently featured via senior sites and public transportation advertising.
“Frequently Latino older adults are significantly affected by a stigma regarding mental illness and are generally unfamiliar with and unaware of proactive mental health practices and the effectiveness of treatment for these very common illnesses,” noted Ms. Simmons. “This awareness campaign is intended to create awareness about these issues, and to positively impact the lives of Latino older adults, their families and caregivers.”
Because funding for mental health services is provided almost exclusively for treatment, the awareness campaign will provide a unique opportunity to understand cultural perceptions of the symptoms of depression and anxiety and to explore culturally sensitive mental health education, treatments and delivery systems.
Current research has shown that Latinos use mental health services at lower rates than other groups, and linguistic and health literacy are largely unaddressed in educational materials targeted to Latinos. Language is sited as a major barrier to understanding the gravity of mental illness. Left undiagnosed and untreated, depression can lead to a loss of physical, social and mental functioning and increased levels of disability. (Surgeon General’s Report, 1999.)
About Partners in Care
Partners in Care is a leading non profit which creates, tests and implements healthcare program innovations. Partners’ new models of care improve quality of life for those served, while reducing the cost burden on the healthcare delivery system. Based in San Fernando, California and serving communities throughout Southern California, Partners has followed its mission of “Changing the Shape of Healthcare” for the last 10 years. Currently Partners is taking many of its program innovations national as models of care that are targeted to change and improve healthcare delivery.
Contact
Jody Dunn, Strategic CommunicationsPartners in Care Foundation
732 Mott Street, Suite 150
San Fernando, CA 91340
Phone 818-837-3775 ext. 138
Fax 818-837-3799
Email jdunn@picf.org
