About the Study

WHAT IS THE STUDY EXPLORING?

This study seeks to learn about the experiences of immigrant families with young children in Doña Ana County when trying to access supportive services (e.g., medical/dental, mental health, early childhood, and more) for their children and families.

WHO IS CONDUCTING THE STUDY?

This study is being conducted by the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW). The CICW is a research and resource center in the School of Social Work at New Mexico State University. We have also partnered with four community agencies who are supporting and advising us on all aspects of the study. Learn more about our partners below!

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

To participate you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
  1. Be 18 years-old or older
  2. Have at least one child between the ages of 0 and 8 years-old
  3. Be the primary caregiver
  4. Be an immigrant (e.g., born in another country)  → We will NOT ask about legal status!
  5. Be comfortable completing an interview in English or Spanish, and
  6. Live in Doña Ana County.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS A STUDY PARTICIPANT?

As a participant in our study, you would:
  • Participate in a 60-minute interview with a member of our team.
  • Share your experiences with different services in the community.
  • Be a voice for children and parents in immigrant families.
  • Improve practices and policies that affect the immigrant community.
  • Receive a $25 gift card for participating.
  • Participate in an optional follow-up focus group to share more information about your experiences.

HOW CAN I SIGN UP?

Contact one of our three field interviewers or our Community Research Consultant via phone call, text, or email to sign up and schedule an interview at a time and place convenient for you! Meet our field interviewers and Community Research Consultant below.

Meet Our Team

If you’re interested in participating in our study, call, text, or email one of our three field interviewers or our Community Research Consultant featured below to sign up and to schedule an interview. You can also contact the other members of our research team with other study related questions.

Theresa Saenz

FIELD INTERVIEWER

Theresa is one of our three field interviewers. She is bilingual in English & Spanish.
Contact her at:
Phone: 575-323-1665
Email: tsaenz75@nmsu.edu

Idalia Soto

FIELD INTERVIEWER

Idalia is one of our three field interviewers. She is primarily Spanish-speaking.
Contact her at:
Phone: 575-652-6736
Email: idalia05@nmsu.edu

Alma Mendoza

FIELD INTERVIEWER

Alma is one of our three field interviewers. She is bilingual in English & Spanish.
Contact her at:
Phone: 575-652-6571
Email: alma1885@nmsu.edu

Michelle Saenz-Adames, PhD

COMMUNITY RESEARCH CONSULTANT

Michelle is our Community Research Consultant overseeing recruitment and data collection.
Contact her at:
Phone: 575-386-5969
Email: micsaenz@nmsu.edu

Megan Finno-Velasquez, PhD

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Megan is an Associate Professor of Social Work at NMSU, the Director of the CICW, and the Principal Investigator for this study.
Contact her at:
Email: mfv@nmsu.edu

Sophia Sepp

RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER

Sophia is the Program Manager at the CICW and the research project manager for this study.
Contact her at:
Phone: 575-646-2778
Email: ssepp@nmsu.edu

Our Community Partners

Jardin de los Ninos
Ngage New Mexico
NM Cafe
Catholic Charities of Southern New Mexico

FAQs

What will be asked during the interview?

We will ask you questions about the services (e.g., early childhood, childcare, medical, dental, mental health, etc.) you seek out and receive for yourself, your child, and your family. We will also ask some questions about stressors you may experience as a caregiver residing in this community.

Where will the interview take place?

In-person interviews will be scheduled at a community location convenient for you, for example, at your child’s school or childcare center or at another community location like the public library or a park.

What is the time commitment for a participant?

The in-person interviews for our study will take approximately 60-minutes to complete.

Will my information stay private and confidential?

Yes! The research team will not share any information that you provide in the interview in any way that might personally identify you. Any information used in reports or documents will be at the group level, meaning that it won’t contain your name or information that can be linked to you.  All data will be kept in a secured location only accessible to the research team.

How will my participation impact the community?

Your participation in our study will help us learn about how to strengthen and improve supports and resources for families like you and your community. Your contributions to this study will help inform our recommendations for practice and policy improvements at the local and state levels!

 

Can I recommend someone to participate in the study?

Yes! If you know someone who fits the eligibility criteria described above please reach out to one of our field interviewers or Community Research Consultant to find out how you can recommend them to participate in the study.

What are the follow-up focus groups?

We will be holding 5 follow-up focus groups with individuals who participated in the interviews to explore the key themes of our study in more detail and to allow participants to provide more in-depth insight about their thoughts and perspectives.
This is phase 3 of a multi-phase study. If you're interested in learning more about the previous phases of this study... click here to explore!