July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

In honor of July being National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) is taking steps to increase understanding and create awareness of minority mental health concerns.

Mental health conditions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, or identity. Anyone can develop and experience the challenges of having a mental illness. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), roughly one in five adults in the U.S. will experience mental illness in a given year.

Although mental illness is a prevalent health disorder, only 41% of adults in the U.S. receive treatment. In minority and low-income communities, there is a severe need for treatment. For instance, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population, according to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

Many factors contribute to why these communities lack knowledge of treatments, including cultural stigma, language barriers, representation, and historically-rooted cultural mistrust of the American healthcare system.

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives designated the month of July Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Campbell was an author, advocate, and national spokesperson for those affected by mental illness. The two main goals of the month are to improve access to treatment and enhance public awareness of mental illness among minorities.

To spread awareness of this issue, start a conversation in your local community, emphasize treatment, and share personal experiences with others. To get involved share the nation-wide hashtag, #MinorityMentalHealth, to show support. More information can be found at www.nami.org.

In addition, OCHN is hosting a community forum Thursday, July 26, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. More information and registration can be found at www.oaklandchn.org/ Training.