The use of bilingual, bicultural paraprofessionals in mental health services: issues for hiring, training, and supervision.

Language and cultural barriers mitigate between refugee and immigrant populations and the mental health services they need to adjust to life in the United States. To bridge the gap between mental health professional and client, and to educate communities regarding services, agencies are recruiting paraprofessionals who are bilingual and bicultural to perform outreach functions and provide interpretation services. This article presents the recent circumstances that have created this situation, discusses the roles of paraprofessionals in mental health, and addresses the issues and problems that can arise around the hiring, training, and supervision of bilingual, bicultural paraprofessionals.