Sometimes throwing a big party is the best way to start something new. The Community Health Foundation of Puerto Rico in Bayamòn recently unveiled expanded mental health services with a bash that included food and music.
The health center is integrating mental health into its array of services to overcome stigma as it expands substance abuse counseling in its community, which is close to San Juan.
“It’s a first effort,” said Nilda Santiago, the center’s chief executive officer. The center has broadened services in recent years. However, the staff decided to make an extra effort to publicize its work, partly to provide patients with information that would help them become more comfortable about using mental health services. About 12 percent of the center’s patients currently receive such services.
Although recruiting counselors can be challenging, the center recently hired one with substance abuse expertise. The next step will be introducing Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) later this year. MAT uses medications in combination with counseling to achieve higher success rates in treating substance abuse disorders.