This month we highlight the presence of unfair inequities such as systemic discrimination and racism that harm the mental health of those in Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
- While nearly one in five Americans experiences a mental health condition each year, people in marginalized communities may also struggle with a lack of health insurance and access to services, plus cultural stigma that discourages getting needed care.
- Research has shown that BIPOC groups are:
– Less likely to have access to mental health services
– Less likely to seek out treatment
– More likely to receive low or poor quality of care.
- Many BIPOC individuals report experiencing high levels of psychological distress, depression and suicidality.
- If someone you know needs help with a mental health condition, encourage them to contact a licensed mental health professional. Everyone deserves accessible, fair and appropriate treatment.
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month. Throughout the month, we will be highlighting the importance of speaking openly about mental health. As hard as it is for anyone to get proper mental health care in the United States, it’s even harder for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and ethnic, religious, and gender minorities. Not only are there problems most of us experience, but there are additional burdens of access and quality of care.
With your help, we can bring awareness to the prevalence of disparities with BIPOC mental health care in our communities. It’s our job to help end the stigma surrounding mental health by sharing resources and starting conversations. Throughout the month of July, we encourage family, friends, and loved ones to learn more about BIPOC Mental Health Month.
Here are some important facts you should know:
- The U.S. suicide rate is up 33 percent since 1999, but for American Indian and Alaska Native women and men, the increase is even greater: 139 percent and 71 percent, respectively.
- People from racial/ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive mental health care.
- Lack of cultural understanding by health care providers may contribute to underdiagnosis and/or misdiagnosis of mental illness in people from racially/ethnically diverse populations.
- In 2020, suicide was the third leading cause of death, respectively, for blacks or African Americans, ages 15 to 24.
- Suicide attempts for Hispanic girls, grades 9-12, were 30 percent higher than for non-Hispanic white girls in the same age group, in 2019.
- Among adults with any mental illness, 48% of whites received mental health services, compared with 31% of blacks and Hispanics, and 22% of Asians.
- 47% of LGBTQ youth overall reported receiving psychological or emotional counseling from a professional from 2019 to 2020, but only 39% of Black LGBTQ youth received treatment.
Remember, mental illness does not discriminate. Join us to help bring attention to the importance of sharing mental health stories and help improve the lives of millions of Americans living with a mental illness.
Visit MagellanHealthcare.com/about/bh-resources/mymh or call your program for confidential mental health resources.