Los Angeles, June 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is partnering with the largest Latinx leadership organization in the country to promote investments in mental health solutions for underserved communities.
During the last month, about 50 staff and members of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Education Fund have participated in mental wellness programs led by Dr. Lance Garrison, dean of the Dallas campus of The Chicago School. He collaborated with Taylor Barrocas, a third-year psychology doctoral candidate, to help craft a curriculum about the importance of mental health.
“We are grateful to The Chicago School for hosting the mental wellness webinars for our staff and members,” said Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO. “The information was extremely valuable in advancing the ability of our team members to support their self-care, especially in light of the tragedy in Uvalde. As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, the work of The Chicago School in preparing the next generation of mental health professionals is more critical than ever.”
The 7,000-member organization is putting mental health front and center at its upcoming 2022 NALEOnd depression being experienced both personally and collectively as a result of the pandemic, violence and racial reckoning of the last two years. “The pandemic exacerbated the existing shortage of qualified mental health practitioners who are available to serve people of color, LGBTQIA and rural communities,” said Dr. Michele Nealon, President of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
NALEO will put mental health front and center at its upcoming national conference in Chicago, the first in-person gathering in three years. More than 800 elected and appointed leaders are expected to participate in the June 23-25 event, which will feature two presentations on mental health by The Chicago School faculty.
The workshops will focus on the increased trauma, anxiety and depression of many underserved communities following two years of pandemic isolation, racial reckoning and violence.
Two out of three of The Chicago School’s 6,000 students nationwide are individuals of color.
“We are proud to be on the leading edge of training culturally competent mental health providers who want to work in underserved communities,” said Dr. Nealon. “We are also proud to be chosen by NALEO to help educate its staff and members about ways to reduce barriers to mental health wellness.”
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