Latino Military Families: Current Issues &

Implications for Clinical Work

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CE Credit Information • Webinar participants who want to receive 2.0 NASW CE Credits and/or 2.0 Georgia

Marriage and Family Therapy CE Credits (or just want proof participation in the training)

need to take the post-test provided at the end of the webinar.

• CE Certificates of completion will be automatically emailed to participants upon completion of

the evaluation & post-test.

Questions/concerns surrounding the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) CE

credit certificates can be emailed to this address:

MFLNfamilydevelopment@gmail.com

Sometimes state/professional licensure boards for fields other than social work

recognize NASW CE credits, however, you would have to check with your state and/or

professional boards if you need CE Credits for your field.

• To learn more about obtaining CE Credits, please visit this website: http://blogs.extension.org/militaryfamiles/family-development/professionaldevelopment/nasw-ce-

credits/

Today’s Presenters:

Andrew Behnke, Ph.D., CFLE Is an Associate Professor of human development at North Carolina State University in

Raleigh, NC., and has focused on serving the Latino community since 1996. In 2007 Dr.

Behnke co-developed the “Juntos” program which now serves Latino families across the U.S.

Xiomara A. Sosa Is a United States military veteran, clinical mental health-forensic counselor

and social change advocate. Xiomara is a the Executive Creator and Co-

partner of the National Hispanic Veterans Advocacy Network (NHVAN),

whose mission is to provide culturally competent advocacy for the health and

human service needs of U.S. Hispanic military.

Graciela Tiscareno-Sato Is a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran. She is the author of several award

winning books which are inspired by her aviation service. Graciela is a sought-

after speaker for her thoughts on Entrepreneurship, Leadership in global

corporate organizations and Personal Branding for Military Veterans.

Latino Military Families

Current Issues & Implications for Clinical Work

The following presentation is not endorsed by the Department of Defense and the information, as well as any opinions or views,

contained herein are solely that of the presenter.

What made you decide to attend this webinar? 1.It sounded interesting to me 2. I’m mostly concerned about working effectively

with Latino youth 3. I’m mostly concerned about working effectively

with Latino adults 4. I think I’m in the wrong place!!! 5.My boss told me to come!

Poll

How long have you worked with youth and families?

Poll

Archival data shows that Latinos have served in the military at least since the Battle of 1812 More than 500,000 Latinos served in World War II

A little history

Info thanks to Amy Lutz

Latino military members were overrepresented among those who served and those who gave their lives in the Vietnam War

Cesar Chavez

Racial-Ethnic Composition of US Military and Military-age population

in 2000

Military Military-age Population

White

Black

Hispanic

Asian

American Indian

Other

2 or more races

Latino Service in the Military by Ethnicity

Mexican, 49.2

Cuban, 7.7

Puerto Rican, 9.2

Other Hispanic, 31.8

Generation among Latinos who have ever served

1st Generation

2nd Generation

3rd and Later Generations

Unknown Generation

Of all Active Duty Service Members were Latino in 2013

11.6%

Why are Latinos underrepresented?

A new wave has just hit

Of all new military recruits in 2011 were Latino

17%

Immigrants in the Military

• By 2009, 8% of active duty were immigrants

• Majority are naturalized citizens

• President Bush, 2002, Presidential Order expedites citizenship of noncitizens serving honorably since 9/11

• The National Defense Authorization Act allows naturalizations to occur outside US

• 2009, Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) Program, authorizes some non-green-card holders to enlist

Immigrants in the Military

Amy Lutz’ study showed that: 1) Latinos with lower family income

were more likely to join the military than those with higher family income

2) that a large percentage of Latino military members are children of immigrants

What are some of your challenges to supporting Latino youth and families?

Type your response in the chat box

uncertainty

What would really

engage you?

ASK YOURSELF:

Who are they?

ASK YOURSELF:

Why should they care about your services?

ASK YOURSELF:

What do they care about?

ASK YOURSELF:

How can I speak to them?

Culturally appropriate family support

cross-cultural competence is knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that help one effectively serve diverse populations

What cultural factors

really matter?

Being culturally competent in two cultures:

military & Latino

Culturally Competent Services for Hispanic Military Members

Unique Considerations • Not an individualistic culture

• Family first, self second

• Multigenerational households

• Includes immediate and extended family

• Interdependent not codependent

Cultural Competency in Providing Services

• Many different subgroups • Language issues vary • Various documentation and citizenship issues

vary • Expected and assumed roles of family

members are strong • What works well with some subgroups does

not with others

Caregivers

Family caregiving is a very big expectation and role in the majority of Hispanic families.

Mental Health • Mental health is not openly discussed • Community leaders such as church leaders

and neighborhood pharmacists are first point of contact and source of information for many

• Folklore has significant impact on perception of mental health issues

Barriers to Care • Many are underinsured, uninsured, or

newly insured • Entire family unit must be included • Lack of awareness • Stigma

Not all family members will be fluent in English

Myths about Latino military members: • They speak Spanish • They all find family to be important • They have big families • They are mostly immigrants • They share the same cultures • They are religious • They identify with Latin Culture

Strategies and Responses

• Increase awareness of mental health • Stigma awareness training with

gatekeepers • Improve provider cultural competence • Improve language accessibility • Prevention and intervention focus

Resource List • Create appropriate resource lists in your

community • Collaborate with other providers who are

Hispanic • Ask culturally competent providers to join

your efforts • Don’t reinvent the wheel

silos

community

everyone brings something

nuture one relationship

spread out and let the ripples spread

Identify potential partners: school counselors, teachers, administrators, parent-teacher liaisons, coaches, church leaders, local non-profit leaders, business leaders, latino veterans in your community etc.

What partners in your community could you involve as you serve Latino audiences?

Let’s list a few in the chat box

Find some willing folks to practice with to give you feedback

practice practice practice

Best Approaches For Providers

– Family Systems Therapy

– Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

– Short Term Solution Focused Therapy

– Provide specific instructions

– Involve family unit, whatever that may look like

– Keep it personable, not so clinical or impersonal as much as possible

cultural terms you probably know, but how do they apply to your work with military families? 4

confianza Trust is the core..

•starts with listening • it takes time •going to where they are •putting yourself on the line •gifts and favors

Confianza =

Trust

resonance

personalismo • Touch • Firm handshake -> hug - besito • Use of titles of respect before first names • More relaxed and flexible about time • Less stress placed on planning

familismo

• Family: most important social unit • Family roles (Padrino, etc) • Velar = Moral responsibility to help other

members of the family

make time for individualized services and…

time for the whole family

get out of the office

provide experiential activities

machismo • Negative and positive implications • Protection, providing, courage, service • Force, dominance, demanding respect,

family violence • The military can bring out the best and the

worst in this cultural term

know you got their back

empowering Latina military members

Unique Considerations: Latinas who Join Military

• Wants own life/identity (lose family role)

• Considered Rebelde by family?

• Feeling rejected? Torn apart?

• Is family proud? Embarrassed?

• Typically highly motivated & ambitious

• Imposter syndrome? Isolation?

KEY: bonding w/women, Latinas elsewhere

Profile 1 –Escaping • 18 Year-Old Girl, Fresno, CA

• Dad - Army vet, depressed then deceased

• Native-American Mom “totally messed up”

• Worked 3 jobs, comm college to “make it on my own” – fail

• Exasperation! Armed Forces center: “First one to get me out of here…” – U.S. Navy

NOTE: featured in Latinnovating vol. 2

Profile 2 – Ambitious, Misunderstood

Hugging & In Tears: “Thank God I met you today. My mother called again this morning and said, ‘Now that you’re done with the Army, when are you getting married and giving me nietos?’ She’ll never get it. I want to be ME, not her.” - Latina Army veteran university student in MD, at Personal Branding

workshop I do for transitioning military personnel

Profile 3 - Military as Higher Ed Opportunity

• Rebelde!–against low cultural expectations for young ladies, oldest of FIVE

• So now, I must prove how tough I am…failure/weakness not an option…ever.

U.C. Berkeley

AFROTC scholarship

Becoming a 2nd Lieutenant

Graduation from UNT on the

flightline

Unique considerations

Wants her own life/identity (lose

family role/obligations)

Considered Rebelde by family

Typically highly motivated

Imposter syndrome? Isolation?

Rare, unMANned flight

Bonding with women, in jet

My Brother, My Need

• Parents moving CO to WA

• Leave denied; deploy to Riyadh

• Brother Jr. gives up, age 22

• I need mental health services, helping parents, but….

• Culture + Command = disaster

Takeway: just understand where we’re coming from…

• Latinas in today’s military are: – Bicultural –multiple identities

– Trying to respect parents’ values, but…

– Ambitious – freedom from family baggage, different, success, adventure

– Expecting much, projecting self-sufficiency, being FIRST to…

– Struggling with femininity balance

– Bilingual –some

My Wish, because Latinas are

veterans too

• Please read “Saluting my Hermanas in Arms this Memorial Day” on my blog, or “A Salute to the Latinas Who Served and Sacrificed” on the Huffington Post

• Use me to reach out to Latina servicewomen/ veterans who need your services but are reluctant to admit it

Q: Serving stressed out parents with Exceptional Family Members?

• 1st child = 1 pound preemie, 25 weeks • Daughter Milagro is dual-sensory

impaired (blind & hearing impaired) • Hubby & I special ed advocates • She’s Braille Bee competitor, literate,

bilingual, scientific, happy, sporty teen • Speak on demanding high expectations

for our kids with disabilities, coping Our Family Journey as Resources for Families: • Letting Your Child's Literate Side Out • Letting Your Child's Wild Side Out

Latino veterans, men and women, in your community are a well of knowledge and support

Xiomara, Graciela, & so many others

….are just a Skype session away.

Mental Health with Latino military

audiences

Latinos are less likely to be appropriately diagnosed and treated for mental health issues.

Support military PTSD patients by avoiding stereotypical assumptions and racial biases

going unnoticed

PTSD and psychological trauma

affect individuals and communities of all ethnic and

cultural backgrounds

take some risks

other times you have to wade in slowly

We have to turn off our personal soundtracks and listen to clients

People aren’t scared of failing, they are afraid of blame or what others will say

What do you notice?

kindness goes a long way

follow their lead

stealth education

- does not feel like intervention - creates fun and experiential ways to cover a topic that engages the learner - holding events and activities that teach something

consistency

20 mile march

Roald Amundsen - Dogs & Training

Robert Scott - Motor Sledges, Horses, Dogs

the five s of

personalismo

Problem: what do they feel the problem is?

Praise: be genuine and focused

pay attention to details

Past Experiences: identify what experiences they have had with folks like you before

Problem Solve: resolve the concerns they have and figure out the logistics

Prepare: them for what to expect

clarity

What will you do?

Key Take-Away Applications

• Recognize demographic disparities among Latinos

and other military personnel.

• Identify barriers to care that clients of different

ethnicities may face.

• Understand the importance of cultural competency

and the impact of becoming better informed as

clinicians.

• Discover tips for clinicians and advocates to

implement when working with families.

CE Credit Information

• Webinar participants who want to receive 2.0 NASW CE Credits and/or 2.0 Georgia

Marriage and Family Therapy CE Credits (or just want proof participation in the

training) need to take this post-test AND evaluation:

https://vte.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4UfATwsgeaXkUgR

• CE Certificates of completion will be automatically emailed to participants upon

completion of the evaluation & post-test.

Questions/concerns surrounding the National Association of Social Workers

(NASW) CE credit certificates can be emailed to this address:

MFLNfamilydevelopment@gmail.com

Sometimes state/professional licensure boards for fields other than social work

recognize NASW CE credits, however, you would have to check with your state

and/or professional boards if you need CE Credits for your field.

• To learn more about obtaining CE Credits, please visit this website: http://blogs.extension.org/militaryfamilies/family-development/professional-

development/nasw-ce-credits/

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Thursday April 23rd @ 11 a.m. Eastern

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