National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Formerly designated to Bebe Moore Campbell in June 2008, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was designed to create awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented minorities face in regard to the mental health community in the United States. Bebe Moore Campbell was an author, activist, and spokesperson who advocated from mental health education and support among individuals of diverse communities. When Campbell lost her battle to cancer, friends, family, and allied advocates reignited their cause that was inspired by the passion of Campbell.

Mental health does not choose who is affected, rather the culture, race, gender, or sexual orientation can affect the access to treatment, support, and quality of care for many. Within the minority population, nearly one out of five adults in the United States have a mental health condition, according to the National Institute on Mental Health. While anyone can be affected by a mental illness, minorities are more likely to experience the risk factors associated with mental health disorders. Specific individuals within the minority group have higher rates of mental health disorders than others. For example, the American Psychiatric Associates says that the American Indian/Alaska Native population has a higher rate of mental health concerns. Similarly, African American suffer from the high rates of mental health disorders and ultimately receive poorer access to mental health resources.

Many organizations participate in National Minority Mental Health month each July. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) features the WhyCare? Campaign to raise awareness on the importance of care in the treatment of mental health. NAMI celebrates Mental Health America by asking the public to share videos, photos, notes, and poems on social media with the hashtag #DepthOfMyIdentity. This hashtag allows others to discuss how the perception of others has affected their mental health while sharing advice to those who may have encountered similar situations.

Everyone is deserving of mental health resources. Below are some resources available for National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

https://www.usich.gov/news/resources-for-national-minority-mental-health-awareness-month/

https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/cultural-competency/education/mental-health-facts

https://nami.org/Home

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness

Shaunessey Jefferson

Mental Health Student Intern