Researchers at the Digital Health Equity & Access Lab (dHEAL) at the UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare are exploring new ways to bring mental health care to Spanish-speaking adults who often face barriers to traditional services. Their latest project, SUPERA (SUpport from PEeRs to Expand Access), is testing how a Spanish-language digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) platform, SilverCloud, can reach and support patients in safety-net primary care clinics. 
SUPERA is not just about delivering therapy online; it is about figuring out what helps people engage and stick with it. Participants, identified through clinic registries or provider referrals, complete eight therapeutic modules over several weeks. They are randomly assigned to either a peer-supported group, where trained community members check in and offer encouragement, or an unsupported group, where participants use the digital program independently with automated reminders. Researchers track symptom changes and engagement to understand what delivery methods work best in real-world settings.
At the clinic level, SUPERA also compares outreach strategies, including proactive contact using patient registries and standard referrals from providers. This approach helps the team learn which methods make it easier for patients to access and benefit from care.
As Adrian Aguilera, director of dHEAL and Associate Dean for Digital Initiatives at Berkeley Social Welfare, told San Francisco Public Press, “When we first talked with community members, it was clear that technology alone was not enough. We wanted to do technology-based stuff, but then also bring in supporters to be a cheerleader and understand your lived experience.”
“When we first talked with community members, it was clear that technology alone was not enough. We wanted to do technology-based stuff, but then also bring in supporters to be a cheerleader and understand your lived experience.”
Reflecting on the potential impact of digital interventions like SUPERA, Dr. Aguilera added, “If we can show that peer support combined with digital therapy works, it could be a game changer for clinics that don’t have enough staff or resources to meet the mental health needs of Spanish-speaking patients.”
The project is designed to generate practical knowledge for clinics and health systems. If peer support and targeted outreach increase engagement and improve outcomes, SUPERA could help shape scalable, culturally responsive models for digital mental health care, especially for communities where language barriers and limited resources have historically restricted access.