Spanish Professor Receives $400,000 State Grant to Support Mental Health Education in Spanish-Speaking Communities
The Division of Spanish and Portuguese is proud to congratulate Dr. Esther Hur, Assistant Professor of Spanish, on receiving a $400,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Minority Health Research and Education Grant Program. The grant will support Project ENLACE, an interdisciplinary initiative designed to improve mental health education and reduce health disparities in Spanish-speaking communities. Bringing together expertise in Spanish linguistics, nursing, and social work, the project reflects Baylor University's commitment to research that serves communities and creates lasting impact.
The Division recently spoke with Dr. Hur about the project, her research, and the connections between language, healthcare, and community engagement.
Language, Healthcare, and Community Impact
Project ENLACE was selected through a state-funded program that supports innovative projects aimed at improving access to care, reducing disparities, and creating sustainable community impact. For Dr. Hur, the award recognizes both the project's goals and the collaborative approach at its core.
"I was honored that Project ENLACE was selected for funding because it brings together an interdisciplinary team from Spanish linguistics, nursing, and social work to address one of the most pressing health disparities affecting Spanish-speaking communities: mental health," she said. "Receiving this award is not only a recognition of the project's innovation but also of Baylor University's commitment to serving communities through research that has a direct and lasting impact."
Dr. Hur describes her research as exploring how linguistics can contribute to solving real-world healthcare challenges. While fields such as nursing, social work, and public health develop important health literacy programs, she sees a crucial role for linguists in ensuring those programs are communicated in culturally meaningful ways.
"When people hear the word 'linguistics,' they often think of grammar and vocabulary. I think of trust, communication, and access to healthcare," she explained. “Communication shapes every step of healthcare. It influences whether people understand a diagnosis, feel comfortable asking for help, trust a provider, follow a treatment plan, or even decide to seek care in the first place."
Building Bridges Through Research
The grant builds naturally on Dr. Hur's broader research agenda in Spanish for Health Professions and healthcare communication.
"As a linguist, I've seen how language can either become a bridge to healthcare or a barrier that keeps people from receiving the care they need," she said.
Mental health literacy emerged as a particularly important focus because it combines education, language, and community engagement.
"This project allows us to combine education, language, and community engagement to create a program that is not only evidence-based but also culturally meaningful for the people it is intended to serve."
One of the project's central goals is sustainability. Rather than creating a temporary program, Project ENLACE seeks to strengthen organizations already serving Spanish-speaking communities.
"One of my biggest goals is capacity building," Dr. Hur explained. "Rather than simply offering a mental health literacy program that ends when the grant ends, we want to leave organizations with the knowledge and resources to continue serving their communities independently."
Through the project, staff members from partner organizations will be trained as certified Mental Health First Aid instructors, allowing them to continue supporting their communities long after the grant-funded work is completed.
“In addition to the MHFA training, we will be developing a culturally adapted mental health literacy interactive manual,” she adds. “We'll be working closely with community leaders in Waco to ensure it addresses culturally relevant beliefs, values, and discussions that contribute to mental health stigma, particularly within Hispanic communities."
Connecting Research and Teaching
The project also has important implications for Baylor students. Dr. Hur teaches in Baylor's Spanish for Health Professions courses, where students develop the linguistic and cultural competencies needed to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking patients.
"Our goal is not simply to teach medical Spanish vocabulary but also to develop cultural humility, empathy, and communication skills," she said.
Partnerships with community organizations will provide insight into the needs and experiences of Spanish-speaking communities, helping strengthen the curriculum and better prepare future healthcare professionals.
"By partnering directly with community organizations, we will gain valuable insight into the real needs, experiences, and communication practices of Spanish-speaking communities. That
knowledge will help us improve our curriculum and better prepare students to become culturally responsive healthcare professionals."
Looking Ahead
For Dr. Hur, Project ENLACE demonstrates the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and community-engaged research.
"Some of today's most complex challenges cannot be solved by a single discipline," she said. "By bringing together linguistics, nursing, social work, and trusted community organizations, we are able to create solutions that are both scientifically grounded and deeply connected to the communities they serve."
She hopes readers also come away with a broader understanding of the role language plays in healthcare and community well-being.
"I hope readers see that language is much more than communication. It is a bridge to trust, dignity, and equitable healthcare."