A growing need has long existed for psychiatric clinicians to be educated in multicultural values to expand their skills to conduct effective therapy to the increasing diverse population within mental health. The European-American counseling approach has not succeeded well with the various non-Western populations needing mental health services. Cross-cultural approach meeting their specific needs is making more effective progress.
Ms. Hannah Martinez currently serves as a Master’s Clinician with Northeast Behavioral Health of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Ms. Martinez has for many years conducted her own educational workshop on mental health and cultural diversity. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Massachusetts Chapter. Ms. Martinez worked as a Mental Health Coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and before that, a Senior Social Worker for the Department of Children and Families. She served as a consultant for the Department of Public Health from 1988 to 1992. She also served as a Mental Health Multicultural Specialist for the Dorchester Counseling Center with their Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST). In this role, Ms. Martinez created a cultural bridge for clinicians and clients. This experience led her to see the need for psychiatric clinicians to be educated in the area of multicultural values to enable them to conduct effective therapy to the growing diverse population utilizing mental health services.
A native of Ghana, Ms. Martinez is currently working on her book, The Immigrant: A Black African Woman and her American Experience.