Imagine the stress of being a teenager in a foreign country where the language, food, schools, clothing, culture and even the weather are strange.

Fort Wayne's immigrant teenage population, which is growing, faces these challenges every day. In an effort to address the issue, local organizations and individuals had a chance Tuesday to learn about a program geared toward improving the mental health of immigrant teenagers.

The National League of Cities in 2009 chose Fort Wayne as a pilot city for the program from Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration (MAII).

The city of Fort Wayne's Hispanic and Immigrant Liaison, MAII and the Northeastern Center's Bienvenido Program partnered to bring facilitator training to Fort Wayne for a one-day workshop.

The Bienvenido Program was started at the Northeastern Center, a community mental-health center in northeastern Indiana, in 2003 to address the mental-health needs of the Latino population in Ligonier and Noble County.

The center was originally for adults but now has two programs; the adult program and one specifically for teens.

The adolescent program takes eight weeks to complete and has four goals: to increase participation of the teens in school and community activities, increase communication between parents and adolescents, engage kids in positive thinking, and engage them on issues of suicide prevention and gang prevention.

The program is not intended as group therapy. Instead, it is designed so the facilitator can help participants connect with someone within their personal circle, like their church, if they need mental-health help.

“It is better to try and connect the teen with someone they trust,” explained Gilberto Pérez Jr., MSW, ACSW, QMHP Bienvenido Program director. The eight-week sessions attempt to create a positive mental-health environment where participants can engage in a series of group activities.

“You need to create an environment where they can motivate each other,” said Pérez. Before the eight-week session is over, facilitators must come up with a project that will make the group reach beyond their circle. This helps the participants reach into the community and connect.

The workshop, held at the Public Safety Academy, was open to ten people, and it was full.

The original adult program, which also served offenders on probation, has shown positive results. Eighty-five percent of the participants who were on probation and entered the program finished their probation.

The program won a Clarion Health Award for Excellence in Hispanic/Latino Health Care in 2007.