many communities demand for mental health services is at an all-time high.

>> And the need is particularly acute in brown and black communities that often lack access to those resources in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Our Joanna Hernandez visited the Gage Park neighborhood.

She learned about a mental health center that's taking care of underserved communities and offering bilingual services.

On the southwest side along West 51st Street is central Sanaa.

>> Which translates to heal center what might in this is one of the co-founders.

The clinic was once a local pediatrician's office.

Now it's providing free mental health services.

>> March and June of 2020, but they said they was like me.

Working in a different organization and then doing volunteer workers in this and that.

But the city came a baby and prettyman that's how much much teen is believed in the mission of providing wellness support Latino communities that often lack access to therapy because of insurance barriers.

In terms of what folks need things.

And it's an array of support that is the center's their own healing journeys, whether that be therapy, couples therapy, family therapy.

>> I'm thinking about like.

>> really coolish culturally specific, high quality mental health care and that tends to be inaccessible for folks.

>> began as a grassroots initiative 5 years ago by local mental health providers has evolved into what central Sanaa is today focusing on helping people break through their complex traumas through different techniques I've had.

>> Clients say I'm seen or I saw someone once a month for like 2030, minutes, right?

So I think what makes sense us and they're so special is the ability to be able to provide those high quality free services on a consistent basis for up to 2 years.

Right.

And in some cases we've been providing services for longer than Money to Kabul's is a first generation Latinos who says her upbringing inspired her to become a case manager.

>> Eventually she returned to school to become a therapist.

>> Looking back at my family growing up in Iowa, there were it wasn't a lot of like resources that were in Spanish.

They were not a gating court systems.

They were navigating all these other systems that they had no like.

They were barely learning about it themselves.

So I was like I want to be that person that's able to help other folks navigate systems that they don't understand.

That's not even I didn't understand when I first started out.

>> The non-profit service neighborhoods throughout the southwest side from Gage Park to Brighton Park in Little here to do.

>> It's been life changing.

And you know not only like here.

In it for yourself to help yourself which own work.

But they here for you because Sanchez has been receiving therapy for 2 years and says the tool she has learned have helped her become a better mother to her son of It's OK to come looking for help and to be able to have.

>> And opportunity in a place like central some that Lake.

It's amazing.

And the fact that they're able to do this for us at no cost.

Yeah.

But Deena says the center has assisted nearly 65 families serving over 2000 individuals since its opening with ages ranging from 10 to 44 years old.

>> As he does, but he's researchers have that's really provide.

incur of community one this is me using my skills said and what the community has wanted for a long period of time and bring it to fruition.

>> For my teen us a first generation Mexican-American being the executive director of a mental health clinic is a way to break those stereotypes surrounding mental health Latino communities are.

I'm also a father a 7 year-old and a 5 EUR.

I think of.

>> You know what a feel what I feel I need.

But also I feel that other folks can benefit from as well and selfishly.

I