In 2020, the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) contracted CPEHN (California Pan-Ethnic Health Network) for 3 years to engage and uplift diverse voices to influence what local programs and services are funded in their communities. Year 1 and Year 2 accomplishments can be found here.
At the local level, the Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) collaborated with CPEHN as its statewide partner to facilitate a listening session with the Indigenous community of Oxnard in the County of Ventura. California is home to an estimated 170,000 indigenous migrants from the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Michoacán, including Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and Purépechas. These Indigenous populations face unique challenges including language barriers, as they often only speak their native pre-Hispanic Indigenous languages. They also have deep-rooted and unique cultural practices and beliefs that often create barriers and isolate them from other Latino populations.