The BHEAM Blueprint: A model for grassroots providers

We designed BHEAM from the ground up to meet the unique and often complex behavioral health needs of the Spanish-speaking immigrant community in Maryland.

We hope that our program can serve as a model for other organizations ready and willing, at any scale, to fill the significant need for these services in their communities.

Check the BHEAM Blueprint for a closer look at how we designed and operate our programs, including sample intake forms and job descriptions

Download PDF Read the blueprint

Our experience and research show that Latino immigrants are receptive to Spanish-language interventions, having conversations with trusted community health workers, and screening and treatment in community settings.

That’s why community health worker support is a cornerstone of the BHEAM program. These trusted team members are typically the first touchpoint for BHEAM clients, providing expert, compassionate, and trauma-informed screening and assessment in Spanish; brief interventions as necessary; and a warm handoff to a BHEAM therapist and case manager.

Other key program design components include:

Bilingual, trauma-informed therapy and case management

Spanish-language support groups

Referrals to diverse resources with warm handoffs

Care coordination with service providers

Ongoing follow-up to add or adjust services and to assess patient needs, experience, and service quality

To learn more, download the BHEAM Blueprint.

Download

“Before we partnered with BHEAM, our mobile crisis team and crisis residential unit case managers would often struggle to link Spanish-speaking individuals to outpatient mental health and addiction services due to limited provider availability. Now our staff feel more confident when engaging and helping Spanish-speaking individuals in behavioral health crisis. The BHEAM community navigators are available to provide appropriate community resources and extra support to this population and can provide outpatient mental health treatment.”

Deana Krizan, LCSW-C Director of Clinical Operations, Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc.

Contribute to the knowledge base

We welcome input and insights from public health professionals and providers about your experiences delivering behavioral health services to Latino immigrants. Our goal is to continue to build a knowledge base of best practices to further our mission and inform successful programs elsewhere. Share your thoughts: