© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Hartford Group Aims to Increase Mental Health Awareness for Communities Facing Violence

Chion Wolf
/
WNPR
Iran Nazario
Iran Nazario says family members of victims don't have access to good mental health care -- nor are they seeking it.

Activists and mental health experts gathered in Hartford this week to talk about the need for more equitable access to health care services. But sometimes, health care isn't on the top of people's minds.

Iran Nazario is director of the Peacebuilders program at the COMPASS Youth Collaborative in Hartford. The group provides outreach services for children and families facing community violence. 

Nazario has responded to over 80 murders in Hartford over ten years.

“Think about that number for a second,” Nazario said. “The amount of trauma and the amount of despair that exists when you have 80 people killed in a ten-year period, and that's just due to gun deaths.”

Nazario said the family members of these victims are often impoverished and don't have access to good mental health care -- nor are they seeking it. 

“Your concern is safety. Your concern is being able to have your children come home,” Nazario said. “Am I really thinking about health? Am I thinking about health equity? Am I thinking about, 'Well let me go down the street to this facility and see if I can access health services?'”

Nazario said the answer is no. And he thinks the health industry needs to form better partnerships with ground-level outreach groups like COMPASS -- forming personal relationships through home visits, and making people believe that they need health services. 

Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. He can be reached at pskahill@ctpublic.org.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content