Mission
Ayúdate’s mission is to increase accessibility of mental health resources in Spanish via telehealth to the underserved Hispanic population of PA, by creating a virtual community of bilingual and culturally competent therapists willing to work together towards the betterment of the community.
Values
Inclusivity: We offer services to those without health insurance or with insufficient coverage, and do so without limitations according to legal status, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, gender identity, or ethnicity.
Collaboration: We aim to establish a network of mental health care professionals working together to empower the Hispanic community for the collective good.
Professionalism: We are committed to high standards and providing the best quality mental health resources available.
Confidentiality: Personal information will be handled according to HIPAA standards and will never be shared without consent.
Ayúdate’s Impact
Impact
The Hispanic population in Pittsburgh (2022) is more than 10,000.
1/3 of the population needs mental health services in their lifetime and more than 3,000 individuals are in need.
Ayúdate is working toward helping bridge the gap between the Spanish speaking population PA and their need for mental health services.
History & Founding of Ayúdate
Founded by Alicia Sewald-Cisneros in 2022
As a therapist, I worked for several years with unaccompanied Spanish-speaking children who crossed the border to be with family members in the United States. With this work, parts of my heart that were closed have opened up. As I continued my path to private practice, the Spanish-speaking people who needed therapy were many. Ayúdate was born because those who work with this population in our area, including me, were and still are at capacity. Meeting this need is a social responsibility, a call for bilingual therapists to collaborate and support the mental health of the Hispanic community.
My own history as an immigrant, combined with so many I've met, prompted me to research the resources available in our area. This revealed a real, unmet need. The mission was clear, and Ayúdate began to take shape: a place where culturally and linguistically competent therapists could offer their services virtually and at low cost to people in need, and a place where psychoeducational resources in Spanish could be offered to those interested. As work on Ayúdate formally began, the project was chosen as one of 10 finalists in BNY Mellon’s 2022 UpPrize competition in Pittsburgh, PA — from a field of more than 60 other projects.
This experience gave validity to the project, and "me" became "we." We incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, got the support of a wonderful board of directors, created this website, and made new partnerships — bringing the project closer to becoming a helpful service to many. I am so grateful to all the people who have helped along the way. Today, our goal is to connect as many services as we can, at an affordable price, to as many people as possible. We encourage you to explore our site, register for services, and be part of our community. Donate if you can, and spread the word! We're here to help.
Carlos Roa interviews our founder Alicia Sewald
Our Board
Elizabeth Stephenson is a retired social worker who has worked in nonprofit for over 40 years. She spent the majority of her career working with at risk children youth and their families. During her career she developed, implemented and led strength based trauma informed programs focusing on providing opportunities for children and families to develop strong healthy relationships within their family and community. She holds a master’s degree and License in Social Work. Her steadfast philosophy has been to provide the best care to the most vulnerable so that eventually they find their own voice. She strongly believes that helping others is a gift to cherish; something she learned early on in her own family. Elizabeth is a proud mother of three adult children, and three beautiful grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with family, friends and giving back to the community.
Kim is a retired Human Resources Professional with over 35 years of experience. She is also fluent in Italian, having lived in Italy for several years. She has spent much of her career in the nonprofit sector dealing with diverse populations, setting policies, developing strategies and staff involvement to produce a positive, productive working environment and culture. She holds graduate degrees both from Middlebury College and Carnegie Mellon University. Kim and her husband are active in their communities with a variety of charities.
Stan is a retired global executive who has worked diligently to improve the working lives of employees. Throughout his career, Stan created employee councils, which allowed people to positively affect their working lives and fellow employees. He has worked with employees in the US, Canada, England, Spain and many other countries in his 35-year career. His career spanned manufacturing, gold mining and the steel industries. He also holds a graduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University. Stan and his wife now spend much of their time working in various volunteer experiences in their communities.
James Shamlin is a dedicated psychotherapist and owner at Cranberry Psychological Center. As a psychotherapist he focuses on facilitating well-being, enhancing personal growth, and creating stronger interpersonal relationships for his clients including a greater attachment to the communities in which they live-in. He has previous experience serving on a board for Butler County Humane Society this along with creating annual events serving several non-profits benefiting animal shelters, victims of domestic violence, senior citizens, homeless pregnant women, and foster children. These events serve to increase visibility, resources, funding, volunteers, and to encourage local businesses to support the non-profits in the region. He is honored to be apart of a cause that fosters support, well-being, and a greater sense of connection to the Spanish speaking community.
Board Secretary. During the last 11 years her professional activity has focused on the promotion and development of Social Responsibility both at the level of private companies and social development organizations, combining her capacity for analysis, evaluation and promotion of projects and identification of strategic alliances. She has developed many strategies for fundraising for several nonprofits in Venezuela. She holds a Masters in Human Resources from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB). Advanced Management Program IESA-PAG. Diploma in Ignatian Social Management. Numerous refresher courses in various areas, such as: Business Organization, Management Strategies, Staff Development, Corporate Social Responsibility and Funding for nonprofits.
Board Treasurer. Jeff Sewald is an award-winning writer and filmmaker who specializes in defining the cultural significance of people, places, things and events. He has experience in a variety of media within a wide array of topics – from politics to literature; business to sports. Mr. Sewald founded what is now known as Backstory Partners LLC. His documentaries include: “Gridiron & Steel, Peter Matthiessen: No Boundaries, “We Knew What We Had: The Greatest Jazz Story Never Told,” about the history and significance of jazz music in the City of Pittsburgh. As a writer he published in 2020 the book: “The Life and Deaths of Cyril Wecht: Memoirs of America’s Most Controversial Forensic Pathologist,” and has written a column for PIttsburgh’s Quarterly Magazine for 15 years. He has several new broadcast projects in the works including a feature documentary about 2015 “CNN Hero” Dr. Jim Withers and the global “street medicine” movement for the homeless.