Compiled by staff
As our commitment to our readers to bring to light to how important mental health and wellness is, we focus on minority mental health this month. If any of our readers have topics they would like to see discussed or if they would like to do a guest article, please contact us through the “Contact us” page on this website.
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Last month was Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Why have these separate entities some may ask? It is often that those in a certain culture find it difficult to admit they are having troubles. In the past it was realized that men often tried to be “strong” for their family to the point of neglecting their mental health and well-being.
The same is true about minorities. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), Mental health care disparities , defined as unfair differences in access to or quality of care according to race and ethnicity, are common in mental health. This could be due to socio-economic reasons and also the problem of not recognizing or wanting to admit their concerns about mental health—for feat of being weak or not having the wherewithal to address it.
As time has gone by, agencies and people have realized how important mental health and wellness are to minorities by having a designated “awareness” month.
How did this come about?
It all started with a woman named Bebe Moore Campbell who had mental illness herself and saw that race played into the mental health culture. She was a writer and wrote the books “The 72-Hour Hold” and “Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry” to (as the National Alliance on mental Illness—NAMI—says were to “address the profound impact of racism, mental health and the enduring strength of culture, community and connections.”
Campbell understood that mental health isn’t just about individual healing — it’s about community transformation and she started NAMI. Her firsthand experience underscored the need for safe spaces for people in communities of color to share their stories and experiences without shame or judgement.
The Center for Disease Control, CDC observes National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month each July. They say the observance raises awareness of the challenges that affect the mental health of people in racial and ethnic minority groups.
The CDC urges health care providers to do routine screenings and to ensure mental healthcare services are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Washington University in St. Louis wants to play a part in this for those in St. Louis as they strive to improve outreach, engagement, and quality of care for minority, underserved, and under-resourced populations. They also promote cultural humility within clinical care. To find out about mental health resources in St. Louis from WashU, click here. https://psychiatry.wustl.edu/psychiatry-culture-inclusion/mental-health-equity-in-clinical-services/
