Support

Support the BHEAM mission

Economic, social, and political forces in their home countries, during transit, and in the US put immigrants at outsized risk of physical and emotional harm. This can include violence in the form of extortion, kidnapping, trafficking, and sexual abuse.

Your financial support will directly impact our ability to:

Increase access to free and culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health services

Expand awareness and reduced stigma in the community around mental health and substance abuse

Decrease morbidity and mortality from depression, anxiety, trauma symptoms, and substance abuse

Improve health equity in Maryland

How to donate

For information about supporting our work and mission, please contact program director Adrianna Moore

adrianna.moore@jhmi.edu

A mother in crisis is a family in crisis

“Maria” is a Honduran immigrant in her mid-30s with four children, including an infant. She was diagnosed with postpartum depression upon delivery of her baby, but without reliable transportation and with four children to care for, she was unable to refill her medication and care for herself. Maria is also a trauma survivor.
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Maria came to Esperanza Center in Baltimore for a first-time visit with a primary care provider, who recognized immediately that Maria was in crisis. Her suicidal and homicidal ideation posed a danger to herself and her family.

The physician made an immediate referral to the BHEAM community health worker located on-site. Maria was screened within an hour, and the team coordinated her transportation and admission for acute care where she was stabilized. After her release from the hospital, Maria continued therapy at BHEAM and is now doing well.

Without programs like BHEAM that are empowered and equipped to help immigrants overcome barriers to health care, this story could easily have ended in tragedy for this family, extending the cycle of trauma.