Testimony of
Maria C. Barreto, LCSW-R
Director of Enhanced Adolescent Services
At the Hearing on
Oversight: Exploring the Availability of Suicide Prevention
Services for Adolescent Latinas in New York City
Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism,
Drug Abuse and Disability Services
Jointly with the Committees on Women's Issues and Civil Rights
Hon. G. Oliver Koppell, Chair
Hon. Julissa Ferraras, Co-Chair
Hon. Deborah Rose, Co-Chair
Hon. Gale A. Brewer
Hon. Daniel J. Halloran II
Hon. David G. Greenfield
Hon. Ruben Wills
April 4, 2011
I would like to thank the City Council and the Women, Civil Rights and Mental Health
Committees for this opportunity to testify.
I am Maria de Conceição Barreto, or in plain English, Maria of Conception Barreto, director of
Enhanced Adolescent Services. I am also a Puerto Rican, Portuguese, Catholic women working
for The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Service’s. As a first generation, American born
women, I know what it’s like first hand to experience the classic first generation story.
By the time I got to school, I was speaking a third language, broken English, just like my parents.
Navigating high school was difficult and I felt isolated since I was not allowed to experience the
freedom of the American culture like my peers. I know how hard it is for teenage Latina girls to
both embrace their culture and family values but want to feel “normal” like everyone else in an
American high school.
I somehow negotiated my way to completing college 4 years late and found my sea legs in
social work. There were no Latino social workers when I was in high school. I suspect I would
have graduated on time if I had the help I needed. Back then, cultural competence was non
existent. 30 years later, times have barely gotten any better.
And it’s time for a change. We need targeted help for Latina teenagers in order to prevent
failure which sometimes comes with fatal consequences.
It’s not hard to understand why Latina teenagers in the United States attempts suicide at a
higher rate than any other demographic amongst teenagers. We are talking about Latino
families who are committed to keeping their culture strong, their religious beliefs intact, and
their family rules in place. While the man of the house, brother or father is usually the
commander, in a single parent household, the mother assumes both roles. Regardless who is at
the head of the helm, the Latina girl is made to listen and obey. Puerto Rican, Dominican,
Guatemalan, Mexican, you name it, the issues are the same. In the end a Latina adolescent
feels isolated, helpless and potentially depressed, anxious and at worst, suicidal.
As often is the case in Latino families; the oldest daughter becomes mother’s right hand helper.
In the middle of winter, 2010 Jasmine was no different as a latch key kid and oldest sister to
many siblings. Jasmine struggled with her internal conflict to recognize she is not like her
American friends and the pressure mounted. Jasmine came to JBFCS for treatment after
admitting to her mother she was depressed, sipping alcohol from the kitchen cabinet, cutting
her self on the arm and thinking of ending her life. After a short hospitalization to stabilize her
mood, Jasmine started treatment at one of our 12 outpatient mental health clinic offices and
got help.
Like many first generation Latina’s, when Jasmine returned to her country of the Dominican
Republic for a visit, she was allowed to be a teenager, she was allowed to go out with cousins,
allowed to go dancing, all of it. However, when Jasmine returned back to the USA, she was
again imprisoned by her mother’ rules and fears. This brought a return of depressive symptoms
and thoughts of wanting to hurt her self. With the help of a culturally sensitive, bilingual
therapist who provided individual and family treatment in Spanish, the client and her mother’s
life turned around.
This is not the case for so many girls who are fraught with academic challenges, conflict with
parents, and serious mental health symptoms which if gone untreated, statistics tell us, can be
deadly. The zero generation parent/s is not usually aware of how mental health treatment can
help. This is why bilingual and culturally sensitive mental health programs are vital to our
communities.
Our goal is to provide bi-lingual and bi-culturally appropriate treatment to those in need to
combat the epidemic of this countries Latina Adolescent Suicide rate. Everyone who has
testified today, and for those who have not been able to, the parents of the young girls who
have taken their lives, are all hear for one reason, to get you to understand, we need funding
and we need it in writing. Funding for these programs is not baseline anywhere. Kids are dying.
We need to guarantee this urgent need is met.
Thank you
Obrigado
Gracias