1. Proyecto Puentes/Bridges Imperial County Office of Education Student Well-Being and Family Resources Department Caring Across Communities Grantee Meeting April 22, 2009

2. Imperial County California From Google maps Where the sun spends the winter! 172,672 total population. 36,293 Children (k-12). 87% are Hispanic. 43% are English Learners. 26% are from immigrant families.

3. Calexico Mexico Border

6.  Wealthy vs Poor.  New vs Second Generation Immigrant.  Culture of poverty  Border proximity  Isolated from major metropolitan areas Proyecto Puentes Heber

7. Proyecto Puentes Calexico

8. Proyecto Puentes Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Reduce linguistic and cultural barriers that limit access to mental health services. Provide information on mental health stressors, problems and services Provide advocacy and assistance to help students and their families get access to mental health services Provide information to inform policies to reduce access barriers and racial/ethnic disparities in mental health. Proyecto Puentes

9. Proyecto Puentes Program Design/Implementation GOAL 2: Increase opportunities for students and families Voces de Jovenes Platicas De Padres Inform policies on culturally competent services. Proyecto Puentes

10.  School based mental health services  SAR/Promotoras  Personalize training  Provide supportive and encouraging environment  Weekly supervision  Ongoing guidance and support (strategizing)  Cross training of staff important and ongoing. Proyecto Puentes Program Design/Implementation

11. Reaching out to families ESL Personal telephone calls Individual meetings with parents Parent convivencia School referrals to program School events and activities Proyecto Puentes

12. Partners Calexico Neighborhood House Heber School District Calexico Unified School District. Imperial County Department of Behavioral Health Services Members of Concilio Consejero Regional De Padres Migrantes, Imperial County’s parent advisory council on migrant education. Padres Unidos de Heber (United Parents), a community group of concerned citizens Imperial County Office of Ed Student Well-Being and Family Resources Proyecto Puentes

13.  Steering Committee  Dialogue about immigrants  Engaged various agencies, schools and parents  Migrant Education Coalition

14. Proyecto Puentes  Challenges  Availability of funds  Staff turnover  School staff turnover  Accessing students  School space  Time for supervision  Staff commitment  Parent demands

15. Proyecto Puentes  Future Opportunities  CHAT  MHSA  SS/HS