Why We Should Be Talking about Mental Health among Latinx Communities

The Urban Institute reports that structural barriers, such as the lack of employer-sponsored insurance in the service and retail industries; barriers to applying for public benefits, such as chilling effects from public charge rule, even for those who qualify; and the lack of linguistically and culturally effective services contribute to this disproportionate effect and have left many basic health needs neglected, including mental health. A large share of the US Latinx population, which includes any people of Latin American descent, has been historically employed by the service sector, and, because these jobs have been hit the hardest by COVID-19, Latinx workers and their families are among the most afflicted by pay cuts and job losses because of the pandemic. A robust research base connects unemployment and economic insecurity with declining mental health, so, more than ever, it is crucial to shed light on this often unaddressed topic within the Latinx community. #racialequity #workforce #covid-19