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Casa Esperanza

A bilingual, bicultural behavioral health center providing a comprehensive continuum of care that specializes in serving the Latinx community in Massachusetts

Recognizing the disparities that exist within the Latinx community, Casa Esperanza has designed a culturally-specific, community-based program that predominantly serves a population that identifies as Hispanic and has disproportionately experienced homelessness and incarceration as well as a diagnosis of a mental health condition.

The organization's integrated approach (combining primary care, mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and social services in the same location) includes a wide array of services that leads to a comprehensive, continuum of care. Some of the services include:

  • HIV/Hepatitis C screening and treatment
  • Primary care and psychiatric services
  • A range of SUD treatment options, including outpatient, residential, medications for opioid use disorder, and peer support
  • Intensive case management
  • Supportive housing, education, and employment

Begun in 1987, Casa Esperanza is now a recognized leader in developing holistic approaches to behavioral health treatment and has become an integral part of the community. Casa Esperanza has collaborated with the Cross-National Behavioral Health Lab at the University of Denver to provide over $35 million dollars in evidence-based treatment to the Latinx community and more than $5 million dollars in evaluation and research funds over the last 10 years. 

More details on the program and contact information can be found in the presentation here. 

A reduction in depression and anxiety, a reduction in ED visits, and a sustained increase in employment and housing, suggests that participants gained stability, an important step in recovery. 

Continuum of Care
Treatment
Recovery
Type of Evidence
Peer-reviewed
Response Approach
Comprehensive services
Housing, Education, and Employment
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Recovery coaching
Peer-reviewed Article
Evaluating culturally and linguistically integrated care for Latinx adults with mental and substance use disorders
Related Resources
The Opioid Crisis and the Hispanic/Latino Population: An Urgent Issue
Strategies to Address the Opioid Epidemic in Black and Hispanic/Latinx Communities
Prevention of Opioids and Prescription Drug Misuse Among the Latino Community
The Overlooked Opioid Crisis in Latinx Communities
Opportunities to Improve Opioid Use Disorder and Infectious Disease Services: Integrating Responses to a Dual Epidemic
Integrated Prevention Services for HIV Infection, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis for Persons Who Use Drugs Illicitly
Integrating Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Primary Care
Recovery Coaches in Opioid Use Disorder Care
Choice Matters: Housing Models that May Promote Recovery for Individuals and Families Facing Opioid Use Disorder
Medicaid's Role in Fighting the Opioid Epidemic
Designing Medicaid Health Homes for Individuals with Opioid Dependency: Considerations for States

Evidence of Program Effectiveness

During the course of receiving integrated behavioral and primary health care through Casa Esperanza...."Participants were less likely to report depressive symptoms, less likely to report anxiety symptoms, and less likely to experience homelessness at 6-month assessment compared to baseline. Participants were also less likely to report depressive symptoms (AOR: 0.378, 95%CI: 0.209–0.684), less likely to report anxiety symptoms, less likely to experience homelessness, and less likely to utilize the emergency department in the past 30 days at 12-month assessment compared to baseline." (Walter et al., 2019)

Clientele demographics: 97% identify as Latinx, 97% have a co-occurring SUD and serious mental health illness, and 96% have a significant medical condition.