WASHINGTON DC — January 22, 2024 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — HCN (hcnmedia.com) is launching the seventh edition of the Culture of Health / la Cultura de Salud, a multicultural, bilingual multimedia programming series that addresses social determinants of health affecting Latino and Black communities in the US.

This year the multimedia series, titled “Your Mental Health Is in Your Hands,” will address topics such as mental/behavioral health and technology among young people, prevention of substance use disorder, anxiety and stress management, and suicide prevention – all of which disproportionately affect people of color in the US. The series also invites younger generations to use their personal electronic devices as tools to connect, share and get informed to improve their well-being.

“For multicultural communities, mental and behavioral health remains one of the greatest under-addressed and yet rapidly growing needs. This year’s multimedia series encourages people to talk about anxiety, depression, PTSD and suicide ideation, which have increasingly high prevalence coming out of the pandemic across nearly all generations,” said Alison Rodden, CEO of HCN. “Our own health doesn’t simply depend on our personal efforts and desires. Providing access to resources – and raising awareness that we’re not alone – is a first basic step towards providing mental health support.”

HCN’s Culture of Health / Cultura de Salud multimedia series supports the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) vision of a Culture of Health, which aims to give every person across the country the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible.

Recent data from KFF shows how negative trends in mental health and substance use have disproportionally affected some populations, particularly communities of color and youth, during and after the pandemic. According to KFF’s findings, 90% of adults polled believe the US is facing a mental health crisis.

Areas of greater concern include anxiety and depression; feelings of hopelessness and sadness; drug overdose deaths mainly due to fentanyl-laced substances among male, Black and Hispanic youth; alcohol induced deaths primarily among people of color in rural areas; and a growth in suicide rates among people of color.

Daily short-format TV and radio programs, digital videos, social media content and interactive shows focused on mental health will begin airing across HCN platforms La Red Hispana and LatinEQUIS, and Melanin Thriving starting on January 22, 2024. 

For Spanish-preferring audiences, HCN’s Cultura de Salud programs will run across 35 Hispanic TV markets and over 120 radio markets, in addition to 6 digital channels and on LaRedHispana.org/SaludMentalEnTusManos through the Spring of 2024.

For English-preferring Latino and Black audiences, Culture of Health programming and content is available on-demand via HCN’s social media and microsites – WeAreLatinequis.com/MentalHealthInYourHands and MelaninThriving.com/MentalHealthInYourHands

About HCN and owned channels La Red Hispana, LatinEQUIS and Melanin Thriving
HCN is the leading producer and syndicator of multimedia programming and content focused on health equity and social determinants of health in the United States – and is 100% for and by BIPOC communities. Content for this series was also co-produced by World Voices Media. For more information, visit: hcnmedia.com | LaRedHispana.org | WeAreLatinEQUIS.com | MelaninThriving.com.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, RWJF works to develop a Culture of Health rooted in equity that provides every individual with a fair and just opportunity to thrive, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. For more information, visit rwjf.org.