July 2019

Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Hear from Ms. Nancy Carter , one of the original individuals who worked very closely with Ms. Campbell.

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives designated July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in honor of the leading African American novelist and journalist, who also was a voice for individuals and families affected by mental Illness. Bebe Moore Campbell was an accomplished author, advocate, co-founder of NAMI Urban Los Angeles, and national spokesperson, who passed away in 2006. She received NAMI's 2003 Outstanding Media Award for Literature for the book Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, written especially for children, about a young girl who learns how to cope with her mother's bipolar illness. In 2005, her novel 72-Hour Hold focused on an adult daughter and a family's experience with the onset of mental illness. It helped educate Americans that the struggle often is not just with the illness, but with the healthcare system as well.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) : Over 70% of Black/African American adolescents with a major depressive episode did not receive treatment for their condition. Almost 25% of adolescents with a major depressive episode in the last year were Hispanic/Latino. Asian American adults were less likely to use mental health services than any other racial/ethnic groups. In the past year, nearly 1 in 10 American Indian or Alaska Native young adults had serious thoughts of suicide. In the past year, 1 in 7 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults had a diagnosable mental illness.

Listen to a personal story of family love, emotional despair, and community support.

Cultural competency makes a difference

Lack of culturally competent care has the potential to result in an individual not seeking care or dropping out of treatment.  Every member of a community must receive adequate mental health care. There is "a lack of diversity among those being trained as mental health professionals" states Larke Huang, PhD, Director of SAMHSA’s Office of Behavioral Health Equity. Providers need to be trained to understand the populations they serve and to understand differences. If health care providers are not trained to recognize and treat issues for the populations they serve, it can lead to negative health outcomes, including high dropout rates for care.

Facts on US populations and disparity

The American Psychiatric Association provides information on disparities for specific communities: Diverse Populations African Americans American Indian/Alaska Natives Hispanics and Latinos/as Muslim Americans LGBTQ

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How you can make a difference

Encourage mental health organizations to include minorities on staff and boards of directors. Write, call, or talk to legislators—both local and federal—to support efforts to improve access to and the quality of mental health services in your area. Speak out on behalf of minority mental health. Try to be open and understanding towards what minority communities experience.

Important News

Sierra Vista High School senior Abrahan Vasquez has been selected as a 2019 Gates Scholar by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of just 300 students across the country to receive the honor and an all-expense-paid scholarship. NAMI East San Gabriel Valley is associated with the NAMI on Campus Club at Sierra Vista High School. Vasquez – president of the school’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) club and an Advanced Placement student with a 4.7 GPA – was accepted to 11 universities, including USC and UCLA. He will study biology at Claremont McKenna College this fall. Sierra Vista High School senior Abrahan Vasquez

Upcoming Events

Cultural & Linguistic Responsiveness Toolkit Webinar Training The goal of this toolkit is to assist local affiliates and partner organizations in beginning to address the mental health disparities that exist among communities from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, and better serve these individuals. Tuesday, July 9, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Register

NAMI Smarts for Advocacy Teacher Training Through the training, peers, family members and stakeholders will learn how to teach and deliver the NAMI Smarts program with affiliates, individuals and families across the state. Dates/Times: July 20-21 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Sat), 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Sun) Location: Mountain View, California Register

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