As Suicide Prevention Month comes to an end and Hispanic Heritage Month begins, we reflect on our critical relationships in the Spanish-speaking community. At Lines for Life, we believe community-based partnerships are essential to building a behavioral health system serving everyone. Our partnership with Raíces de Bienestar, an organization dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness among Oregon’s Latine communities, reflects this commitment.
Together, we are breaking down barriers to care by ensuring services are linguistically accessible, culturally responsive, and trusted within the communities we serve. Raíces de Bienestar’s expertise in community engagement, peer support, and culturally grounded practices complement Lines for Life’s statewide crisis and prevention work, creating stronger pathways for support.
This partnership allows us to:
- Expand access to crisis intervention and prevention services in Spanish.
- Provide culturally specific training and education opportunities to strengthen mental health awareness in Spanish-speaking communities.
- Share community informed strategies that guide policy and practice to better meet the needs of the Latine community.
One way this partnership comes to life is through the Charlas initiative; Spanish for talks, the Charlas are community-based conversations that bring Spanish speaking individuals together to learn, share, and strengthen their well-being. Facilitated in Spanish, these gatherings create a welcoming space to explore mental health topics while weaving in cultural strengths and practices.
Community members who participate in these Charlas share how meaningful this initiative is:
- “I loved everything. The facilitator knows how to present the topic in a way that is simple and, at the same time, brings awareness.”
- “The information shared was so important. I have never attended before, and I felt it was so important to practice self-care these days.”
As we continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, we are reminded of the resilience, leadership, and cultural richness embedded throughout Oregon’s Spanish-speaking communities and beyond. This month is not only a time to honor history and contributions, but also to reaffirm our commitment to advancing equity in Oregon’s behavioral health system and uplift voices long underrepresented. By working alongside Raíces de Bienestar, we continue to uplift voices and create space for culturally rooted approaches that inspire hope and belonging. Together, we are building a future where every person can access the support they need to thrive.
Support for every walk of life means centering communities in the solutions that serve them.
Learn more about Raíces de Bienestar on its website.
Check out our culturally responsive resources here: https://www.linesforlife.org/get-help-now/culturally-specific-resources/.
