Mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, or identity. Anyone can experience a mental health disorder regardless of their background. However, culture, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation can make access to mental health treatment much more difficult.
This Minority Mental Health Month we can all help ignite change against disparities and fight stigma. It simply starts with learning more about mental health and informing your community.
- Consider Giving A Presentation
- Raise Awareness and Stop Stigma
- Emphasize Treatment
- Share Your Story
Our culture, beliefs, sexual identity, values, race and language all affect how we perceive and experience mental health conditions. In fact, cultural differences can influence what treatments, coping mechanisms and supports work for us. It is therefore essential for culture and identity to be a part of the conversation as we discuss both mental health and mental health care.
A person must feel comfortable and understood by their mental health professional for a therapeutic relationship to be effective. This includes feeling their mental health professional understands their identity and being comfortable addressing it openly. When a mental health professional understands the role that cultural differences play in the diagnosis of a condition and incorporates cultural needs and differences into a person’s care, it significantly improves outcomes. Mental health care must be tailored to the individual — to their identity, culture and lived experience.
Cultural and linguistic competency is recognized as an important strategy for improving the quality of care provided to clients from diverse backgrounds.
Free e-learning program: Increase cultural and linguistic competency among mental health professionals: Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals
Tips for Providers
- Follow the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Provide equitable and respectful quality care and services that are inclusive of the cultural health beliefs and practices of the community you serve.
- Offer free language assistance and other needed assistance to individuals with a non-English language preference.
- Hire diverse, bilingual staff that are representative of the community served.
