Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: July
As we observe National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in July, it’s crucial to recognize the unique mental health challenges that minorities face and to uplift their diverse voices. Over one in five U.S. adults from various backgrounds experience mental illness, but ethnic and racial minorities often face greater stigma and barriers to accessing care and substance abuse treatment. These barriers include high costs and lack of health insurance. For instance, in 2021, American Indian and Alaska Native Americans had an uninsured rate of 18.8%, followed by Hispanic or Latino Americans at 17.7%, compared to just 5.7% among White Americans.
Barriers to Care
Language differences and a lack of culturally competent mental health care providers further complicate access for minorities. According to a 2015 study by the American Psychological Association, 86% of psychologists were white. Patients often receive better care and more accurate diagnoses when treated by providers with similar backgrounds.
Minorities also disproportionately face social and environmental stressors such as poverty, racism, and racial violence, which increase the risk for mental health conditions. Additionally, Black and Latino Americans with mental health and substance use disorders are more likely to experience incarceration and homelessness instead of receiving appropriate care and support.
Despite diverse backgrounds, many minorities share similar challenges, such as the high costs of therapy and finding providers who understand their experiences and culture.
The Black community has endured centuries of systemic discrimination, leading to higher rates of poverty, trauma, and mental health disparities. Unfortunately, numerous barriers prevent many members of the Black community from accessing the healing they need. Stigma and discrimination are significant obstacles, alongside other challenges such as:
- Lack of access to culturally competent mental health care
- Fear of judgment or discrimination
- Financial barriers to mental health care
- The belief that mental health issues signify weakness
These barriers contribute to the troubling mental health disparities seen within the Black community.
Stigmas to Receiving Care
Stigma remains a significant barrier, causing many individuals to avoid discussing their mental health or seeking help. Many never learn how to ask for help due to deeply ingrained stigmas in their families, believing that treating mental illness is negative or that the person seeking help as a failure.
Bridging the Gap and Steps Towards Improvement
To bridge the gap and ensure quality care for the Black community, finding providers who understand their cultural background and experiences is vital. Having a therapist who shares or understands your lived experience can significantly impact the effectiveness of treatment.
Research has found that having a therapist who understands their background is really important for Black clients. It helps them focus on getting better.
To improve minority mental health, erasing stigma, increasing the number of diverse healthcare providers, and enhancing education and awareness is important. Intergenerational education and storytelling to pass down mental health information can also support this goal.
