Normalizing Mental & Behavioral Health Supports – By A Latina Mom of Multiple Children & Parent of Diverse Learners

Raising kids is not easy nor does it come with a manual. Raising kids during a global pandemic is even harder. As a family we were able to provide the basic needs, but as parents we wondered how our kids were doing mentally, given the bubble we were living in.

We talked about going on annual visits for school physicals, dental and vision checkups, and wondered if they would be open to also checking in on their hearts and minds. They agreed to get a "checkup", and so began my search for a provider that could meet our cultural and linguistic needs. I was able to tap local moms' groups to get some recommendations and see which ones would be covered by our insurance and offered times that would work with our schedules. It took about one month to schedule intake appointments and another two to three weeks to finally begin the sessions.

The number of sessions depended on the needs and once those ended, we set up annual checkups to allow our kids to access the support as needed. Though we approached the support as part of normal health care routines, our conservative Latino family were very judgmental and didn't agree with our choice due to the stigma that surrounds this topic. As a family, we value the education we've gained along the way and continue to check in annually on our physical, dental, vision AND heart/mind health.

As a family with diverse learners, we need access to outside evaluation services because our public school system does the bare minimum as children get older. We need support in improving executive functioning skills, as well as ways to better manage ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Lastly, we need an advocate to support the 504/IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process to ensure my student has the best possible supports in place.