As a whole, the LBHC shares the experiences of the Dominican people living in Philadelphia where many have settled in the United States. Philadelphia is a city with a population of 1.6 million people (United States Census, 2020) of which 15.4% are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The Dominican population is the second largest Hispanic group in the city and is continuously growing.

Combined, the eight organizations that make up the LBHC provide mental health services to most Latinos seeking care in Philadelphia. Within the LBHC in Philadelphia, approximately 100 health professionals are working in the mental health field who identify as Dominican.

In the United States, on average only 11% of the Latino population of receives mental health services — compared to 21.6% of the general population.

One explanation for this low percentage is based in the stigma surrounding mental health services within Latino communities. We know that concerns related to being labeled "crazy" and to being perceived as weak or incapable present as significant barriers to accessing mental health treatment.

Our conference will give voice to diverse perspectives on mental health with the aim of raising awareness of the impact of mental health challenges in the Latino community. Specific focus will be placed on how stigma presents as a significant barrier to treatment in the Latino community across the United States and the Dominican Republic and ways to reduce it. It is essential that all Latino professionals working in the physical and mental health fields mobilize our efforts to ensure that mental health and emotional well-being is not only recognized but prioritized as a major social determinant of overall health across an individual's lifespan.