BIPOC Mental Health Month
July is Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month. People who belong to these groups have historically been underrepresented in many areas of medical care, including mental health. Breaking down barriers to mental health care in these communities is crucial in helping all people recover and receive the care they deserve for a longer, healthier, happier life.
This year, Mental Health America is highlighting the role of culture, community and connection in breaking down these barriers for BIPOC mental health.
Common barriers to mental health care in BIPOC communities
Research indicates that, compared to white communities, BIPOC communities are:
- Less likely to have access to mental health services
- Less likely to seek out services
- Less likely to receive needed care
- More likely to receive poor quality of care and
- More likely to end services prematurely.
These statistics signal a need for culturally-sensitive care, resource sharing and community building among mental health providers and community members.
Culturally-sensitive care
Our culture affects the ways we approach and interact with the world, including our healthcare. When it comes to mental health care, culture can play a role in how a patient:
- Seeks and chooses treatment
- Perceives their symptoms
- Interacts with stigma
- and follows treatment plans.
Patient-centered, culturally-sensitive health care can ultimately lead to better health outcomes and behaviors for patients. In a mental health setting, culturally-sensitive care can look like discussing beliefs about mental health, providing care and information in the patient’s native language and acknowledging hesitation from the patient based on cultural or historical experiences.
NAMI offers a guide for patients in finding a culturally competent mental health care provider.
Resource sharing
Sharing mental health resources in a patient’s native language and providing an interpreter in a clinical setting are crucial steps toward culturally-sensitive resource sharing about mental health.
In an effort to make Mental Health 417 resources accessible, every place you see this widget can be translated to a wide selection of languages:
Many other resources, like Coverage to Care’s Roadmap to Behavioral Health can be found in English and Spanish.
Community building
Connecting with other people is a critical aspect of mental health maintenance and care. For BIPOC communities, finding friends, providers and groups of people with similar cultural backgrounds helps provide a stronger sense of belonging and a feeling of solidarity.
However, building that community can be difficult, especially when we feel unwell mentally. Mental Health America and Mental Health 417 provide resources to encourage people to explore their communities, talk to those around them about their mental health and understand how community culture can affect how we approach seeking help.
Local community care
Finding services where you feel supported can help your overall mental wellbeing. Community care can offer this kind of support. According to Mental Health America, “Community care focuses on the connections, intentional actions and efforts to mobilize individuals to support one another.”
Many local partners are committed to community care. Explore options below:
- Local support groups
- Community services (OACAC, Community Partnership of the Ozarks, etc.)
- Springfield-Greene County Health Community Health Advocates
- Parent and family resources (WIC, NEST Partnership)