Culture Club Multicultural Mental Health Program Reaches Out To Serve Spokane’s Ethinic Community

At the Community Mental Health Center in North Spokane, multiculturalism is written on the walls.

Posters from Italy, Mexico and Holland hang along the corridors. Flyers written in Vietnamese, Spanish and Russian are tacked to bulletin boards. And trinkets from various countries and cultures line the windows of the staff’s offices. They are small relics that remind the employees - and the people they serve - that home is not too far away, really.

The Multicultural Mental Health Program, housed in the Community Mental Health Center at 1420 N. Washington, is the only one of its kind in the Spokane area. It’s a program where the merging of cultures and the diversity of the staff have played a crucial part in reaching out into small enclaves of people who, because of stigma, as well as language and cultural barriers, are often the hardest to reach: the city’s ethnic communities.

Mental health, especially depression, is a major problem in the local refugee communities where people often watched family members get murdered, or themselves suffered torment during war or political strife in their home countries, says Dang Vang, a bicultural specialist who works with the Hmong, Laotian and Thai communities.

The staff has focused much of its efforts on reaching these people, providing a program that draws on several cultural specialists from eight ethnic backgrounds. Consultants encourage people to seek help for various problems - anything from treating depression to adjusting and acculturating to a new life in America.

The program owes its success, in part, to the environment - one that says “Welcome all,” and makes visitors feel right at home, says Sharon Highland, program manager.

Walking into any of the offices is like entering a different world. Northwest Indian dream catchers, South American tapestry, Hmong pandaus (intricate embroideries) and watercolor paintings depicting African American dance are only some of the ornaments displayed proudly.

What’s more, the staff members are magnets for people who need help. Because of the stigma surrounding mental health and other obstacles, many people are reluctant to seek assistance. But the diversity of the employees seems to have broken down these barriers.

People in various ethnic groups can usually find a consultant or therapist from their own cultural background. Staff members often serve as both community liaisons and role models, Highland says.

“We can work with that person with an understanding of their own culture and customs,” Highland says.

There is a connection there, consultants say, when someone meets another person from their own ethnic background - a bond that makes a trip to the center less threatening.

For some of the specialists, that connection is found in the language. This is probably the only local staff that can speak 15 different languages, including Hmong, Russian, French, Vietnamese, Spanish and Korean.

Most clients feel more comfortable talking with someone from their ethnic background, particularly someone who can speak their language, consultants say.

“It’s easier for a person to express emotions in their first language,” says Lily Baldwin, a therapist who works with the Hispanic community. “Our language is very expressive. You can see if they are happy or sad by the way they speak.”

Baldwin encourages her clients to get counseling in addition to using their traditional ways of healing, such as seeking out local “curanderos,” or medicine men.

Part of what makes the program unique is the combination of the client’s traditional practices of treating mental illness and more Westernized methods, such as psychotherapy or medications.

Once, the staff helped a woman sacrifice a pig to help treat depression. Other times, they’ve hired shamans to come speak to local Hmong and Laotian clients.

Patricia Valdes, a consultant for the Hispanic community, says many of the people she helps are very connected with nature and associate more with the environment. So she held a session with one of her clients at a park.

“Being outside, they relate things through the trees, the earth, the river,” Valdes says.

Her client talked about the river sounding as though it were crying, which gave Valdes some insight into her client’s sadness.

“The goal is taking the best of both worlds and understanding that there are many ways to heal oneself,” Highland says.

Although many of the consultants combine treatment methods of two cultures, others prefer to stick with traditional treatments.

Nancy Neal, a bicultural specialist who works mostly with American Indians, says she sometimes refers people to sweat lodges and to the spiritual leaders in their tribe. But she prefers to use a medicine wheel to treat most of her clients.

The wheel maps out a person’s life in four intervals, starting with age 0-18, and ending with age 55 and older. The wheel helps people express the hardships and struggles they’ve experienced in their life and gives them a future, Neal says.

“Some people have difficulty telling secrets,” Neal says. “For people who can’t talk, they can do art therapy with this.”

Staff members say more programs like this are needed to serve a growing ethnic population in Spokane.

In the 1970s, when the center first opened, Spokane’s minority population was about 2 percent. Twenty-five years later, that figure stands at 6.5 percent.

Since the mental health center hired its first bicultural consultants in 1987, more people have been coming in for help, Highland says. In 1990, the program served 266 people. Last year, the staff helped 381 clients.

The program started with only two cultural consultants: one African American and one American Indian. Now, it has about a dozen.

Despite efforts to reach more of Spokane’s ethnic population, the program’s consultants say it’s been difficult to get beyond the barriers, particularly the stigma.

Too often, people associate mental health with the word “crazy,” Vang says.

“Many people don’t want anybody to know about it if they have a problem,” Vang said. “They don’t want to come here because the community will think they’re crazy.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 color photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ORGANIZATIONS, AGENCIES SERVE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES Although they are largely unknown around the Inland Northwest, dozens of ethnic organizations and agencies exist to serve the needs of ethnic residents, providing everything from English as a second language courses to cultural classes.

African American African American Mens Association, S. 500 Stone, Spokane, WA 99202. A mentoring program for young African American men. Contact: Elbert Jennings, 625-6699. Eastern Washington University Black Education Program, MS-164 Monroe Hall, Cheney, WA 99004. Contact: 359-2205. The L.I.N.K.S. An African American women’s service group that helps youths, and the community. Contact: V.N. Smith 467-9793. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Spokane Branch, P.O. Box 4597, Spokane, WA 99202. Contact: Billy Morris, 466-0582. National Coalition of 100 Black Women, P.O. Box 1082, Spokane, WA 99210. Helps connect black women and promotes economic growth of the community. Contact: Fran Hammond, 927-7462. POCAAN (People of Color Against AIDS Network), 815 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA 99201. Contact: Sharon Smith, 325-2645.

American Indian American Indian Community Center, 905 E. Third, Spokane, WA 99202. Provides programs to help preserve Indian cultural identities, and encourage economic and social self-sufficiency. Contact: Sophie Tonasket, 535-0886. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Box 389, Wellpinit, WA 99040. Eastern Washington University American Indian Studies, MS-188 Monroe Hall, Cheney, WA 99004. Contact: Peter Campbell, 359-2441. Native American Alliance for Policy/Action, 11905 E. Fairview, Spokane, WA 99206. Native Project, 1803 W. Maxwell, Spokane, WA 99201. Provides counseling for individuals and families, and various programs and classes including American Indian parenting, Indian youth leadership, and cultural classes for youths age 15-18. Contact: 325-5502. Spokane Urban Indian Ministry, 1526 E. 11th, Spokane, WA 99202. Contact: 535-5588.

Asian Americans Filipino-American Association. Provides support culturally and ethnically to FilipinoAmericans in Spokane. Contact: Ben Cabildo, 325-5057. IndoChinese Service Center, 121 S. Arthur, Spokane, WA 99202. JACL (Japanese American Citizens League), Spokane chapter, 926 E. Eighth, Spokane, WA 99202. A national organization for Japanese American welfare. Contact: Denny Yashuhara, 534-2339. Korean Association of Spokane & Inland Empire, P.O. Box 1316, Spokane, WA 99210. South Asia Cultural Association, 827 W. Jackson, Spokane, WA 99205. Promotes cultures, languages, arts and food of the South Asia region. Contact: Gita Hatcher, 325-6432. Spokane Hmong Association. Provides Hmong culture awareness and consultation. Contact: Vang Tou Xiong X. Toyed, 353-7617. Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, Japanese Cultural Center, 400 W. Randolph, Spokane, WA 99204. Offers exhibitions, library service, demonstrations and classes. Contact: 328-2971. Spokane and Inland Empire Korean Chamber of Commerce, 821 E. Third, Spokane, WA 99202. Vietnamese Buddhist Community, 5025 N. Regal, Spokane, WA 99207. Contact: Toi Mulligan, 484-4331.

Hispanics/Chicano Hispanic Business/Professional Association, P.O. Box 1677, Spokane, WA 99210. Provides support for those with a Hispanic background. Contact: A. Michele Maher, 891-0625. Inland Empire Hispanic Association, P.O. Box 1138, Spokane, WA 99210. Contact: John Vargas, 235-2133. Eastern Washington University Chicano Education Program, MS-170 Monroe Hall, Cheney, WA 99004. Contact: 359-6205.

Miscellaneous Downtown Community Health Clinic, 1021 W. First., Spokane, WA 99201. Contact: Debbie Abrahamson, 747-7754. DSHS East Office Refugee and Immigrant Services, 121 S. Arthur, Spokane, WA 99202. Provides social services to refugees and immigrants. Contact: 533-2374. East Central Community Center, S. 500 Stone, Spokane, WA 99202. Contact: 625-6699. English as a Second Language, 2310 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA 99205. Contact: 533-4600. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, 845 S. Sherman, Spokane, WA 99202. Assists in the positive social and educational development of children and to preserve healthy families that value, protect and nurture their children. Contact: Valerie Marshall, 455-8722. Multicultural Mental Health Program, 1420 N. Washington, Spokane, WA 99201. Provides cultural assistance and/or mental health services including language interpretation, advocacy, and individual and family counseling/therapy. Contact: Sharon Highland, 458-7433. Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook, Spokane, WA 99207. Contact: 487-1603. Refugee and Immigrant Multi-Service Center, 130 S. Arthur, Spokane, WA 99202. Provides services including resettlement, educational, employment and various social services. Contact: Minh Van Tran, 533-2075. Spokane Human Rights Commission, 808 W. Spokane Falls, Spokane, WA 99201. Contact: Cherie Berthon, 625-6263. Spokane Community College Multicultural Affairs, 1810 N. Green, MS-2081, Spokane, WA 99207. Contact: Denise Osei, 533-7032. Spokane Multi-Ethnic Coalition, P.O. Box 40103, Spokane, WA 99202. West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt, Spokane, WA 99205. Contact: 326-9540. Whitworth College Minority Student Services, 2703 Alder Hall, Spokane, WA 99251. Contact: 466-3232.

Organizations that would like to be included in this list the next time it is published should send the information to: Putsata Reang, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; or fax her at 459-5098; or e-mail to PutsataR@spokesman.com.