ABSTRACT
This chapter documents the mental health needs of Hispanics in Minnesota as seen by a clinician in private practice; it identifies differences in assessment practices with Hispanics and Anglo populations in North America. The goal is to increase awareness of the need for culturally competent mental health services. The need to go beyond the acquired fund of theoretical knowledge and clinical skills in the field of psychology is emphasized. These observations do not include a review of the literature and research in the field of assessment of multicultural populations. From this point of view, the observations are intrinsic to clinical experiences and the personal process of being in this country, which means embracing or advocating for a flexible clinical practice with multicultural populations. A flexible practice uses interventions from various systems or schools of thought with an understanding of how those interventions translate into the particular school of thought that guides the overall clinical work.
