G’Z US Connects has been providing support and services to low-income, marginalized communities from diverse ethnic minority groups since its unofficial initiation in 2019. Our mental health services have been focused in the Carver County and Scott County areas; communities with both rural and suburban makeup with extreme service gaps generally, much less the gaps for non-white and culturally competent providers.
Given that G’Z US Connects’ target population consists of people of color with little to no access to mental health care health and mentorship, Marbigail Therapy Services’ partnership to pilot two programs evidence such efforts for Spanish-speaking communities at the CAP Agency (focused on empowering people to achieve social and economic well-being) and a mental health support group for Spanish monolingual students at Shakopee High School and Middle School through the McKinney-Vento program (serving homeless youth).
It is no surprise that our Latino communities are amongst the highest visiting populations in emergency departments for mental health-related services (Source). The uninsured rate in Minnesota is 5% and is more than four times higher for Hispanics (18%) in the state than for whites (4%). Minnesota Department of Health report from 20242 states that uninsurance is experienced at a much higher rate among Hispanic communities than among Minnesotans overall.