It’s time for progress on mental illness in the Black Community – The Oakland Press

DuringBlack History Month, wereflect onthe historical struggles and present-day issues faced byBlackAmericans andotherpeople of color in our nation. We alsocelebratethose whofoughtforsocial and racial justice, as well asthe many Black men and women who made lasting contributions to the field of mental healthcare.Theirdeeds and dreams live on.

Theseadmirablehealth-care pioneersincludeDr. Solomon Carter Fuller, one of thefirst Black psychiatrists, who studied for a time with Dr. Alois Alzheimer and continued his work on Alzheimersduring his career at theWestborough State Mental Hospital inMassachusetts; Dr. James P. Comer,Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicineanda co-founder and past president of theBlack Psychiatrists of America; and Dr. Freda C. Lewis-Hall,a trained psychiatrist, who has held leadership roles inthe academic world, medical researchand private industry.

At the same time, wededicate ourselves anewtoremedy thesocialinjustices,violence,poverty, drugsand homelessnessthat still existin our societyand work to better understand theexperiences ofBlack Americansandotherpeople of colorinnavigating our health-care systemand their full range of needs.

Weknowthatall health issues, includingmental illness,must beaddressedbyfirst looking atones personal,family and socialhistory.ForBlackAmericans, both historicalexperiences and present-day realitiesinfluencemental-health issues, as well as stigma attached to asking for help,access to careand theiracceptance andconfidence intreatment.

Overall,Black Americanadults are 20 percentmore likely to experience mental-health issues than the rest of the population. Serious mental illnessroseamong all ages ofBlackAmericans between 2008 and 2018.In particular, suicidal thoughtsand attempts arerising among young BlackAmerican adults.

However, only25 percentofBlackAmericans seek treatment for mental health issues, compared to40 percent of White individuals. And, understandably,BlackAmericans living below the poverty level are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress than those living over twice the poverty level.

In a recent article forVerywellMind,ShanonLee, anationally recognizedwriterandcontributoron health, wellness and race issues,concludedthat manyBlack Americans do not seek mental health services due to cultural stigma about mental illness. Further, sheindicates that wealthand income inequality affects whois able toaccess quality mental health services and the best treatment options.

And while these challenges must be addressed to ensure equity inmental healthcare, we also mustmake improvements to theracial and ethnic disparitiesamong mental health workers,including psychiatrists, psychologists,psychiatric nurses and social workers.

What do we make of these realities?The solution lies in greater understanding ofpeople and communities in our society,comprehensive programs of mental health education and prevention,and removing barriers to mental health care. This alsomeansofferingmore coverage for mental health services in private and public health programs. We also encourage moreBlackAmericans to pursue careers in mental health at all care levels.

In addition to having improved racial and ethnic disparities among mental health workers, we need professional mentors. Mentorship is vital for professionaladvancement. Having a mentor whohasnavigated the unique challenges that often face young Black professionals can be essential to their success.It also is important to givean individual guidance and support as they make choices for advancement.

As Victor Armstrong, MSW,of the National Council of Behavioral Health expressed:

Black History Month is a time to be more inclusive; to seek to understand what is not recorded in history that highlights the greatness of our country and richness of our collective heritage. It is also a time to ask, What if? What if we didnt have to review and define black history through the prisms of stigma and historical adversity, which includes race-based exclusion from health, educational,social and economic resources?What if history were inclusive of the contributions of all people every month?

Let us work together to make that vision a reality.

Shawn Bryson is Clinical Director at Rose Hill Center,a Holly, Mich.-based residential psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation facility offering a comprehensive range of services for adults with serious mental illness. For more info, visitrosehillcenter.org.

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It's time for progress on mental illness in the Black Community - The Oakland Press