July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Established in 2008, by the the U.S. House of Representatives, Minority Mental Health Awareness was created to bring awareness of the how mental health impacts minority communities and the limited amount of access to it.
Dealing with a mental health concern is very challenging on its own. Individuals that are apart of a minority group may have additional barriers when it comes time to seek care. Three potential barriers include (but are not limited to):
Stigma surrounding mental health in minority communities
Access to mental health care in minority communities
Quality of care may be lower in minority communities
I watched an amazing three-part docuseries from NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) about mental health in the African American and Latino communities. Watch the videos here.