This blog post was written by EVPL McCollough VolunTeen Melissa M.
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According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “people from racial and ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive mental health care.” In 2015, among adults with any mental illness, 48% of whites received mental health services, compared with 31% of blacks and Hispanics, and 22% of Asians. The month of July celebrates Minority Health Awareness Month and brings awareness to the struggles that many minorities face in the United States. Minority Health Awareness Month was created by Bebe Moore Campbell, to promote the mental health needs of minorities.
Bebe Moore Campbell established National Minority Mental Health in 2008 to change the cultural stigma around mental health in communities that include minorities, which is one of the reasons why minorities tend to open up a lot less. This month shows us that mental health doesn’t distinguish between race, identity, or background. While recognizing Minority Mental Health, we can also try to look along for the barriers that come with it. These barriers can include language barriers, lack of insurance, and lack of diversity in mental health providers in BIPOC communities which make minorities feel discouraged from getting help. Some of the problems that minorities face may also be connected to trauma that they are afraid to talk about. They fear how they’ll be seen and feel like their needs won’t be met.
What resources can we use?
- The Safe Place App – A mental health app for black communities that is available on android or iPhone.
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) – An online organization that raises awareness of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities throughout the country.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Dialing 988 will now connect callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline across the US. This service has options for Spanish speakers as well as those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Center for Native American Youth – An organization with tools including videos and peer-to-peer engagement.
- C.A.P.E 401 SE 6th St #001, Evansville, IN 47713 – An organization with a local minority health initiative that focuses on eliminating health disparities.
Books to read to understand minority mental health:
- We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
- Tiffany Sly Lives Here by Dana Davis
- I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
- My Body Is A Book of Rules by Elissa Washuta
- Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee
Works Cited:
- KRBD: Ketchikan, Juneau residents share their perspectives ahead of Minority Mental Health Awareness month
- DBSA: Statistics About Disparities in Mental Health Care
- Black Children’s Books and Authors: 10 Books for National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
- NAMI: Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
