NEWS BRIEF: July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Racial and ethnic minority populations need help, too

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Photo credit: Mental Health Association in Delaware
racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. are less likely to have access to mental health services

July has again been designated Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by advocate groups, focusing on struggles that are unique to people of color. A press release cited examples such as an undocumented child getting therapy for trauma, obtaining a mental health diagnosis for a teen in an inner city, or intervening for a young adult who’s contemplating suicide because he or she feels stigmatized for living in a marginalized community.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has reported that “racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. are less likely to have access to mental health services, less likely to use community mental health services, more likely to use emergency departments and more likely to receive lower quality care. Poor mental health care access and quality of care contribute to poor mental health outcomes, including suicide, among racial and ethnic minority populations.” Details: jasonfoundation.com