United Way, AdventHealth bring mental health destigmatization campaign to Hispanic community

ORLANDO, Fla., May 21, 2024 — AdventHealth and Heart of Florida United Way are teaming up to introduce the next phase of a first-of-its-kind movement to get Central Floridians talking about mental health with the new campaign “Lidera ConscienteMENTE.”

This campaign is an adaptation of the “Be a Mindleader” initiative, which, since launching a year ago, has helped children and parents become more comfortable discussing mental health and connected hundreds of families to counseling services.

The goal of transcreating the campaign into Spanish is to get curated, expert information designed specifically for a multicultural Hispanic audience directly into the hands of adults to encourage open conversations about mental health with children, family or friends.

This multicultural aspect of the “Be a Mindleader” campaign is particularly important, as research has found that one in every three Latinos says they struggle with mental health, yet only 5% are open to talking about it. And for those who suffer, it can take up to 11 years to get a diagnosis and seek treatment.

Talking about mental health is one of the best ways to reduce the stigma, create hope and lead people to seek care, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

“Hispanic populations face unique mental health challenges, such as immigration stress and cultural adaptation,” said Jeff Hayward, President and CEO of Heart of Florida United Way. “That's why Lidera ConscienteMENTE seeks to foster an environment of openness and trust, where expressing feelings, concerns and hopes is not only welcomed, but becomes the foundation for building a healthier and more resilient future for all.”

“The launch of the Spanish-language mental health campaign, in partnership with Heart of Florida United Way, signifies a substantial stride in destigmatizing mental health and promoting open dialogue about well-being in our community,” said Linnette Johnson, chief clinical operations officer for AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division. “By providing culturally sensitive resources, we proudly advance our mission to eradicate stigma and prioritize mental wellness for everyone in our diverse community. We are keeping our promise of providing whole-person care – body, mind and spirit – to the communities we serve.”

Launching this week, www.LideraConscienteMENTE.com can connect individuals to:

• Mental health hotlines and suicide and crisis prevention resources
• Tips and advice for starting conversations and handling difficult situations
• AdventHealth for Children’s Mental Health Navigation team that can help parents find resources and navigate the health care system

The "Be a Mindleader” campaign builds on a partnership between AdventHealth and Dr. Phillips Charities to establish Central Florida’s first comprehensive pediatric and adolescent mental and behavioral health program. Made possible with a $6 million grant from Dr. Phillips Charities, the growing program will expand access to pediatric mental health care, increase early diagnosis and intervention, help families navigate the complex mental and behavioral health care system, and reduce ER visits and hospitalizations for children. Recognizing there is a nationwide shortage of pediatric mental health providers and families often wait months to get into appointments, the program is designed so patients can get into counseling appointments in a matter of weeks, sometimes sooner.

The program — recognized as one of the “Top 36 Hospitals with a Great Mental Health Program” by Becker’s Hospital Review — continues to grow and in 2023 had nearly 950 patient visits.