National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, observed each July in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, raises awareness of the mental health issues faced by underrepresented communities. “It is a time to bring awareness to the unique challenges that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States face when it comes to mental illness (FDA).” This significant month seeks to draw attention to the difference in mental health care and treatment, raise voices, and share stories. By raising awareness, we hope to remove the stigma, advocate for better access to services, and cultivate an improved understanding of the cultural aspects affecting mental health. Join us as we increase awareness and push for reform to guarantee that everyone has access to fair mental health care.
Black females, grades 9-12, were 60% more likely to attempt suicide in 2019, as compared to non-Hispanic white families of the same age. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH)
Only 30% of Black and Hispanic populations and 22% of Asian American populations receive treatment. Cedars-Sinai
Mental illness affects more than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Asian Americans were 60% less likely to receive mental health treatment than non-Hispanic whites. AgLearn
“Once my loved ones accepted the diagnosis, healing began for the entire family, but it took too long. It took years. Can’t we, as a nation, begin to speed up that process? We need a national campaign to destigmatize mental illness, especially one targeted toward African Americans…It’s not shameful to have a mental illness. Get treatment. Recovery is possible.”
– Bebe Moore Campbell
For more information on Bebe Moore Campbell’s story, visit National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
