Red de Solidaridad para la Salud Mental de los Inmigrantes (IMHSN)
Construir un sistema de salud mental más sólido para las comunidades inmigrantes en Carolina del Norte
De izquierda a derecha: Molly Hayes, El Futuro, Allisa Sheppard, NC Counts Coalition, Luke Smith, El Futuro
Entre 2023 y 2026, El Futuro lideró la Red de Solidaridad para la Salud Mental de los Inmigrantes (IMHSN, por sus siglas en inglés), una iniciativa colaborativa de alcance estatal creada para fortalecer la capacidad de Carolina del Norte de apoyar la salud mental y el bienestar de las comunidades inmigrantes.
Lanzada con el apoyo de Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust y la Fundación Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, la Red reunió a organizaciones comunitarias, proveedores de atención médica, educadores, investigadores, defensores, responsables de políticas públicas y personas con experiencia vivida. El objetivo fue forjar alianzas más sólidas, amplificar las voces de la comunidad y promover sistemas de salud mental culturalmente pertinentes en todo el estado.
Hoy en día, la IMHSN continúa bajo el liderazgo de la NC Counts Coalition, garantizando así que esta importante labor siga creciendo y fortaleciendo a las comunidades inmigrantes en toda Carolina del Norte.
Por qué esta Red fue creada
North Carolina’s immigrant communities continue to grow and enrich our state, yet many families face significant barriers to accessing mental health care. Community members experience ongoing stress related to language barriers, discrimination, family separation, immigration-related uncertainty, limited access to culturally responsive services, and the lasting effects of trauma. At the same time, organizations across the state often work with limited resources while navigating increasingly complex community needs.
Recognizing that no single organization could address these challenges alone, El Futuro convened the Immigrant Mental Health Solidarity Network to create a statewide space for collaboration, learning, and collective action. Together, Network members worked to strengthen relationships, build shared understanding, and develop solutions that reflect the strengths, resilience, and lived experiences of immigrant communities.
Our Impact
Over three years, the IMHSN grew into a statewide infrastructure for collaboration and systems change. Together, Network members helped build:
- A network of more than 50 participating organizations across North Carolina
- Representation from 58 of North Carolina’s 100 counties
- Two statewide Immigrant Mental Health Convenings attended by 175 participants
- North Carolina’s first Immigrant Mental Health Landscape Analysis
- Two statewide policy recommendations focused on linguistic access and sustainable funding for community mental health programs
- Dissemination of Landscape Analysis findings in 14 languages
- Quarterly meetings, trainings, and healing-centered gatherings that strengthened collaboration across sectors
What We Built Together
The Network created trusted spaces where organizations from across North Carolina could learn from one another, share promising practices, strengthen partnerships, and coordinate efforts to improve immigrant mental health.
Through quarterly meetings, statewide convenings, workshops, and trainings, participants explored topics including immigrant mental health, Medicaid eligibility, language access, coalition building, grant writing, and community-based care models.
Healing-centered practices were intentionally integrated throughout the Network’s activities, creating space for connection, reflection, and resilience during a period marked by heightened fear and uncertainty in immigrant communities.
El análisis del panorama
One of the Network’s most significant accomplishments was developing the Immigrant Mental Health in North Carolina Landscape Analysis in partnership with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM). The report established the state’s first shared evidence base describing immigrant mental health needs, strengths, barriers, and opportunities. It has become an important resource for community organizations, funders, policymakers, and healthcare leaders working to improve mental health access across North Carolina.
To ensure broad accessibility, the Landscape Analysis summary was translated into 14 languages commonly spoken throughout the state.
De izquierda a derecha: Lariza Garzon, Hispanic Federation, Heysoll Rodriguez Soto, NC Justice Center, Sumi Dutta, Southerners On New Ground, Angelica Reza-Wind, NC Counts Coaltion
Cambio de políticas y sistemas
Building on the findings of the Landscape Analysis, the Network convened statewide policy workgroups to identify practical recommendations that can improve access to culturally responsive mental health care. Together, participants developed policy recommendations focused on:
* Expanding North Carolina’s bilingual behavioral health workforce
* Improving language access within behavioral health services
* Strengthening sustainable funding for community-based mental health programs
* Supporting Community Health Workers
* Building collaborative partnerships across philanthropy, healthcare, and government
These recommendations continue to inform conversations among government agencies, managed care organizations, funders, healthcare providers, and community organizations across the state.
De izquierda a derecha: Rachel Siegel, El Futuro, Ismael Mastache Lagunas, Latine Adolescent and Young Adult Program, D’Arlene Martinez, Latine Adolescent and Young Adult Program, Alex Sabala, El Futuro
Liderazgo Comunitario
From the beginning, the IMHSN was guided by the belief that immigrant communities should help shape the systems designed to serve them. Community leaders, providers, researchers, advocates, and individuals with lived experience contributed to every stage of the Network’s work—from governance and research to policy development and statewide convenings.
The Network prioritized transparency, multilingual engagement, and culturally responsive practices to ensure that diverse immigrant communities across North Carolina were represented and heard.
El Futuro de IMHSN
As the Network matured, members worked together to identify the best long-term home for this statewide initiative.
Following a collaborative and transparent selection process, NC Counts Coalition was selected to become the Network’s new anchor organization. With extensive experience coordinating statewide coalitions and engaging diverse immigrant communities, NC Counts Coalition is well positioned to expand the Network’s reach while continuing to advance immigrant mental health, policy, and systems change.
El Futuro is proud to have launched and stewarded the Immigrant Mental Health Solidarity Network during its foundational years and remains committed to supporting its continued success.