MEXICAN AMERICAN CLIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF SERVICES IN AN OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY IN A BORDER CITY

Abstract

This descriptive-exploratory pilot study analyzed the perceptions of services in an outpatient mental health facility located in a border city in southwest Texas among Mexican American clientele with chronic mental illness. Face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires were conducted with high functioning mentally ill clients. The questionnaire, with both English and Spanish versions, consisted of items on sociodemographics, support networks, illness experiences, reasons for seeking health services, reactions to being visited in the home setting for follow-up care, receiving care from a mental health professional with a similar cultural background, satisfactions, problems encountered in the mental health delivery system, and suggestions for improving health services. Data from 56 respondents yielded generally highly favorable and positive ratings of services received in the facility. Overall, these baseline data present challenges and implications for delivering culturally competent mental health care to Mexican American clients with chronic mental illness.