Name
C05 - Adapting Behavioral Health Consultations and ACT-Informed Mental Health Services for a Predominantly Hispanic, Spanish-Speaking Population in a US-Mexico Border Town
Date & Time
Thursday, October 8, 2026, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Location Name
Regency A (2nd Floor)
Description

This presentation describes the process of adapting integrated behavioral health consultations for a predominantly Hispanic and Spanish-speaking population in the Rio Grande Valley. It highlights practical strategies for translating and culturally adapting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) experiential interventions into Spanish within the time constraints of primary care. The session will demonstrate how clinicians conduct contextual interviews in Spanish, assess emotional processes, and deliver brief ACT-consistent interventions in culturally responsive ways.

Speakers
JoAnna Garza, LCSW, Behavioral Health Consultant, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley- School of Medicine, Edinburg, TX
Monica Perez, PhD, Research Associate II, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Medicine, Edinburg, TX
Maria (Lupita) Hernandez, MPA, Director of Special Programs-PCBH Integration, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX
Deepu George, PhD, Associate Professor, Director - Integrated Behavioral Health, Primary Care & Community Medicine ISU, UTRGV School of Medicine, Edinburg, TX
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Patient-centered care or Patient perspectives, Primary Care Behavioral Health Model, Rural
Session Type
Concurrent
Describe cultural adaptations taken to deliver effective behavioral health consultations for a predominantly Hispanic, Spanish-speaking population in a US - Mexico bordering town
Demonstrate language-specific strategies for introducing ACT interventions in Spanish, including a breakdown of the ACT Matrix in Spanish
Illustrate how to maintain PCBH fidelity and evidence-based interventions when language barriers present

Polk, K. L., & Schoendorf, B. (2014). The act matrix: A new approach to building psychological flexibility across settings and populations. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Cahill, A., Martin, M., Beachy, B., Bauman, D., & Howard-Young, J. (2024). The contextual interview: a cross-cutting patient-interviewing approach for social context. Medical Education Online, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2023.2295049

Harris, R. (2019). Act made simple: An easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.