Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma: Community health workers deliver a mental health intervention for Latina immigrants in rural Washington

Abstract

Latina immigrants in rural settings have limited access to mental health care. Our goal was to pilot test the feasibility of a community health worker (CHW) implementation model in rural Washington for the Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma intervention, a mindfulness-based mental health intervention previously proven effective at reducing depression and anxiety among Latina immigrants in an urban setting. We recruited 42 participants across two Latino-serving community organizations in Yakima County. The feasibility of a CHW-delivered intervention was evaluated using a pre- and post-test design and fidelity data. Findings suggest participant acceptability of this intervention model. CHW delivery of the ALMA intervention was feasible in this rural setting. Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of this model.