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The history of mental health care -

For a long time, mental health received little to no attention from medical professionals. It wasn’t well understood, and it definitely wasn’t considered as important as physical health.

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Mental health care on the rise -

In recent years, however, this has finally begun to change, and medical professionals have become increasingly aware of the importance of good mental health.

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The reality -

Indeed, when our mental health, which includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, suffers, our quality of life can really go down.

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Statistics -

Unfortunately, this is not a rare occurrence. In fact, according to the CDC, one in five American adults lives with a mental illness.

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The status quo -

The good news is that mental health issues are usually treatable, if not preventable. However, not everyone has access to the resources they need.

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Minority mental health -

Indeed, people in certain racial and ethnic minority groups face more challenges than others in getting the necessary mental health support.

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Obstacles to mental health care -

People from minority groups may have reduced access to mental health care for a number of reasons, including cost and not having adequate health insurance coverage.

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Lack of diversity in healthcare providers -

Similarly, it can be challenging to find healthcare providers from one’s own minority group, which can act as a further barrier to seeking help.

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Stigma -

Stigma and negative ideas may also still prevent some people from seeking the mental health support they need.

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Looking forward -

Despite the current obstacles faced by minority groups, however, there is no reason we cannot aspire to and work towards mental health equity.

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Defining "mental health equity" -

Mental health equity is described by the CDC as "a state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to reach their highest level of mental health and emotional well-being."

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Learn about mental health -

There are things we can do as individuals to promote mental health equity, and a good place to start is simply by learning about mental health.

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Learn about mental health -

Whether or not you have been directly affected by mental illness yourself, try to learn about healthy ways to cope with stress and respond to loss.

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Learn about mental health -

Educating yourself properly on these topics will help you to work through, and help others to work through, situations that arise for all of us at some point in our lives.

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Share resources with others -

It is also a good idea to spread information about mental health and proper coping skills with those around you.

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Share resources with others -

Don’t be afraid to share resources with your friends, family, neighbors, and wider community. This is particularly important if you are part of a community where there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health.

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Talk about mental health -

Equally, although it may be difficult at first, it is a good idea to practice talking about mental health and using non-stigmatizing language.

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Talk about mental health - If you want to use non-stigmatizing language but don’t know where to start, have a look online. There are plenty of helpful resources that explain the best words to use.

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Educate yourself about implicit biases -

It is also good practice to learn about implicit biases. These can be described as unintentional attitudes, behaviors, and actions that favor or disfavor a particular person or group.

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Educate yourself about implicit biases -

The more knowledgeable we become about implicit biases, the more we are able to make a concerted effort to avoid them.

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Educate yourself about microaggressions -

Equally, it is a good idea to educate ourselves about microaggressions. These can be defined as everyday interactions, whether verbal or otherwise, that send negative messages to people because of their belonging to a particular marginalized group.

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Educate yourself about microaggressions -

As with implicit biases, the more we learn about microaggressions, the more readily we can combat them in our daily lives.

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The role of educators -

However, it is not the sole responsibility of individuals to promote health equity. Educators, healthcare systems, and states also have a role to play.

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Review materials -

For example, if you are a health educator or communicator, it is important to ensure your learning materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate, as well as inclusive and respectful.

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Make information available -

Health educators and communicators should also take active steps to increase the reach of mental health information to minority groups, and ensure that free and/or low cost resources are available via a range of channels.

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The role of healthcare systems -

For their part, healthcare systems have a responsibility to screen patients for depression and other mental health conditions.

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Pre- and post-appointment care -

They should make sure mental health educational resources are available to all patients during their appointments and in waiting rooms (both in-person and online).

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Diversity in the healthcare workforce -

Healthcare systems should also make an effort to recruit a workforce of healthcare professionals that reflects the race and ethnicity of the population they serve.

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The role of states and communities -

And last but not least, states and communities have a responsibility to expand community-based mental health care.

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Review policies -

They should also reevaluate policies to establish whether they have the potential to stigmatize mental health, and remove any that do.

Sources: (CDC)

See also: Maternal mental health—everything you need to know about postpartum depression

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