LBHS is a nonprofit, grassroots organization created to minimize the disparities in access to mental health services among the underserved Latino population concentrated in Salt Lake County and the rest Utah. As an organization run by peers, LBHS exists to enhance the mental health awareness and well-being of people with mental illness, their care-givers and loved ones through support, education, empowerment, facilitation of resources and services with competent responsiveness to cultural, socio-economic and linguistic characteristics. The work of LBHS embodies a theory of change rooted in capacity building: teach a woman to fish one at a time. The boards of directors as well as all resident partners working for LBHS are individuals who have personally been affected by both mental illness, minority status and immigration. People come to our programs to seek support for themselves or their families. Individuals and families raise their awareness. They learn. They are supported. They move into recovery and a greater state of well-being. With new knowledge and changed attitudes, they are often inspired to give back to the community that helped them. We hope to build the capacity of each individual that chooses to get more involved. We provide them with training, new skills, and opportunities to teach or to engage in outreach. In this way, our programs are sustainable and build capacity into families and communities. Through this process, we seek to increase knowledge about mental illness in the community, reduce stigma, and empower people to create change.
