Depression is a disorder that can have particularly deleterious effects on individuals from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds. Culturally appropriate prevention programs offer a way to provide accessible and effective mental health services to these underserved populations. The authors introduce the Family Coping Skills Program (FCSP), a novel depression prevention program developed specifically for low-income Latina mothers. The authors present the theoretical underpinnings of the FCSP and describe their efforts to make the program culturally appropriate and to enhance recruitment and retention of participants. Initial outcome data from an uncontrolled trial were promising and support continued development and evaluation of the FCSP and other similar programs.

The purpose of this article is to explore some of the issues associated with conducting psychotherapy with low-income clients. Throughout the article, we draw from our specific clinical experiences working with low-income Latina mothers in a depression prevention program. The themes that we address regarding class and psychotherapy are in the areas of assessment of social class, integration of class issues into the therapy process, and managing differences in social class between therapists and clients. As we discuss these themes, we provide concrete recommendations in order to advance awareness and effectiveness in working with economically disadvantaged populations.

In this article, we present the results of a local needs assessment of the mental health experiences, service needs, and barriers to treatment-seeking of the Latino population in Worcester, Massachusetts. Overall, participants reported relatively high rates of experiences with symptoms of mental health problems, they indicated using a range of both formal and alternative mental health services, and they noted a variety of instrumental, attitudinal, and culturally-specific barriers to seeking mental health services. Findings are discussed with regards to the role that community-driven research can play in advancing efforts to provide relevant services to underserved populations.