In keeping with its mission of providing services and programs to Long Islanders at critical times in their lives, Long Island Crisis Center launched its Young Latina Initiative in October 2012.
In recent published studies, young Latinas, ages 12 – 21, have been identified as attempting suicide more often than any other teenagers (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Many issues have been identified that contribute to this high incidence: pre-existing mental health conditions such as depression, substance abuse and impulsivity; increased family stress and conflict they experience due to poorer than average financial conditions; tension between the “traditional” cultural norms, values and expectations of Latina families versus those of their “Americanized” daughters; and, in some cases, a lack of stable and positive male parental involvement.
This new initiative will increase our capacity to provide suicide prevention/intervention to young Latinas and provide support to their families. Primarily, the Crisis Center’s hotlines will have immediate translation services available and community outreach to both young Latinas and their families will be facilitated bilingually and target the growing Hispanic Long Island community.
Young Latinas: Girls at Risk 2015
On March 27, 2015, Long Island Crisis Center hosted Young Latinas: Girls At Risk, a breakfast and educational forum. The event – which was attended by nearly 150 educators, concerned community members, and professionals in the field – featured keynote speakers Dr. Luis Zayas and Dr. Carolina Hausmann-Stabile.
