July is
Minority Mental Health Month

Minority Mental Health Month is a nationwide effort developed by Mental Health America to “shed light on the multitude of mental health experiences within BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities and others that face disproportionate inequities due to systemic barriers and historical adversity.”

Marginalized, oppressed, and disenfranchised people have unique concerns, trauma, stress, obstacles, and challenges because of historical experiences, cultural differences, and social disparities. It is vital to have culturally competent professional counselors provide a safe and trusting environment and assist in eradicating minority stigma, bias, and mental health misdiagnoses.

Over the month of July, ACA will be dedicated to bringing awareness to the barriers BIPOC communities and others experience in getting mental health care and the role professional counselors play in supporting them while also working to address and amend the issue.

BIPOC Mental Health Care Facts

African American and Latinx Use of Mental Health Services

African American and Hispanic Americans used mental health services at about ½ the rate of White Americans in the past year.

Asian American Use of Mental Health Services

Asian Americans used mental health services at about ⅓ the rate of White Americans in the past year.

36% of Latinos Receive Care for Depression

36% of Hispanics with depression received care, versus 60% of whites.

58.2% of African American Youth Receive Mental Health Care

In 2018, 58.2% of Black and African American young adults 18-25 and 50.1% of adults 26-49 with serious mental illness did NOT receive treatment.

8.6% of Asian Americans Seek Mental Health Services

Only 8.6% of Asian Americans sought any type of mental health services or resource compared to nearly 18% of the general population nationwide.

Why BIPOC Mental Health Matters

Black/African American:

Black and African American people living below poverty are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress as those living over two times the poverty level. [CDC]
Men of African descent are nine times more likely than White men to be victims of homicide.
Historical adversity translates to socioeconomic disparities experienced by Black and African American people, which is linked to mental health. [Source]
Adult Blacks and African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than adult Whites. [CDC]

Latinx:

Latinx parents may expedite assimilation in their children by promoting adoption of American culture, leading to internalized racism which can cause depression and low self-esteem.
Latina adolescents attempt suicide at higher rates than other gender/ethnic groups: 20% of Latina adolescents report a plan to commit suicide and 11.1% attempt suicide.

Asian American:

Xenophobic racism against Asian Americans has surged as the coronavirus sweeps the U.S., with reports of hate crimes averaging approximately 100 per day.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Asian Americans ages 15-34.
One study found that 70% of Southeast Asian refugees receiving mental health care were diagnosed with PTSD.

Middle Eastern:

Women who emigrated from the Middle East may be subjected to domestic violence, particularly if they entered into arranged marriages with American men.
Asylum seekers from the Middle East may cope with mental health issues related to situations they have fled, including torture, war, political oppression, and other circumstances.

Native American/Indigenous:

Due to high levels of poverty, many Native Americans face economic barriers that prevent them from receiving treatment. [Source]
Compared to Whites, three times as many Native Americans lack health insurance – 37% compared to 6.3%. Approximately 2.5 million Native Americans rely on the Indian Health Service for care. [Source]
Native Americans who meet the criteria for depression, anxiety, or substance abuse disorders are significantly more likely to seek help from a spiritual healer than from specialty or other medical sources. [Source]

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Barriers that Prevent Seeking Mental Health Assistance

• Language barriers
• Cultural stigmas
• Lack of awareness of the purpose and benefits of counseling
• Lack of healthcare

Common Issues Among Immigrant and Refugee Communities

• Fear of deportation
• Exposure or harm to oneself and one’s family
• Cultural differences between collectivist and individualist societies
• Intergenerational conflict and emotional responses
• Isolation

Aziz Karawa

Consistently meeting with a mental health professional has been extremely helpful to my life. There are many traumas that I have experienced that left unhealed scars. Speaking with a professional about them has led me in the direction of peace and contentment. I recommend it for any and every one, it will make you a better human being.

— Aziz Karawa

Jazmone Wilkerson

When you are with your clients, be with them in the moment in that space and time. Your clients deserve nothing less from you and, in fact, it is required ethically. If you can’t, don’t! If you’re impaired and can’t see your clients make sure you do what’s appropriate according to the ACA Code of Ethics to provide them with the quality care they need. Most importantly… it’s okay not to be okay. You might be experiencing anger, burnout, sadness, anxiety, or a mix of all four. These are strange times. Read full blog post.

— Jazmone Wilkerson, J.D., LCPC, NCC

Ariel Phelps

As a BLACK counselor, my diverse experiences aid me in developing an understanding to work with multicultural individuals and challenge me to look beyond the surface! My expertise is to celebrate everyone, but now it’s time to celebrate MINORITIES! Happy Minority Mental Health Awareness Month!!

— Ariel Phelps, MA, LMHP-R

Christine Forte

As a counselor who has worked with clients of all races, it is then part of my ethical code to advocate against barriers to their growth and development. I would certainly say that this includes advocating for equality. So while I am no expert on how change needs to happen or what comes next, I do know that what has been happening in our country in the way that members of minorities have been discriminated against and abused needs to stop. Read full blog post.

— Christine Forte

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Additional Minority Mental Health Month Resources

Scholarships and Awards

Finances continue to remain a barrier for minorities that wish to pursue higher education. Below you will find resources to assist in exploring minority student financial aid opportunities.

Minority Student Financial Aid
This resource offers available scholarships for students of color, as well as information on different types of funding, how to file a FAFSA, and other application tips.

Scholarships
High school students, college students, and nontraditional or adult-learners can complete a free profile to be matched to scholarships and grants they qualify for from colleges, universities, organizations, foundations, corporations, government, and more.

Career One Stop
Search more than 8,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid award opportunities.

ACA Awards
The American Counseling Association recognizes and rewards member excellence through a dynamic awards program that celebrates professional achievements at every stage of a counseling career.
Publications

Explore the following books and journal research for a more in-depth exploration of BIPOC mental health concerns and how counselors can help.

Culturally Responsive Counseling with Latinas/os
Patricia Arredondo and her colleagues provide culture-centered assessment and intervention strategies for effective clinical practice with Latina/o individuals and families. Topics include roles, relationships and expectations in Latino families; cultural and bicultural values; workforce issues; and more.

Multicultural Issues in Counseling: New Approaches to Diversity, Fifth Edition
This text offers techniques for working with diverse client groups in a variety of settings. It addresses complexities of intersecting identities and builds a foundation for cross-cultural counseling with unique populations, including African Americans, Arab Americans, Latinx, and recent immigrants.

Ethnicity, Life Satisfaction, Stress, Familiarity, and Stigma Toward Mental Health Treatment
The authors of this study found that familiarity with mental health treatment plays a moderating role in the relationship between self- and public stigma and positive attitudes toward seeking mental health care.

Examining the Association Between Racial Identity Attitudes and Coping With Racism‐Related Stress
This research examined the association between racial identity attitudes and coping with racism‐related stress among Asian, Black, and Latinx college students.

Integrating the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies Into Practice, Research, and Advocacy
This special issue examines the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies, including historical context, counselors of color’s experiences of microaggressions, multicultural competence in counselor education, and the impacts on the counseling field.
Online Learning

Counselors can take advantage of these online learning opportunities in support of professional development related to multicultural issues and populations.

Addressing Clients' Experiences of Racism: A Model for Clinical Practice
This article synthesizes the literature relevant to coping with racism to provide a 4-stage model for addressing clients' discriminatory experiences and tailoring interventions to the clients' culture and preferred coping strategies.

Multicultural Counseling with Immigrant and Refugee Communities
Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee communities face unique challenges when moving to a new country and culture. Drs. Vivian and Courtland Lee spent two years in Malta exploring and studying these cultures to gain an understanding of how to better counsel these groups, including asylum seekers.

Multicultural Career Counseling: Limitations of Traditional Career Theory and Scope of Training and Using the Genogram for Career Assessment and Intervention with an Economically Disadvantaged Client
Explore how diverse clients fit into existing career development theories and consider how well these theories explain and support the experiences of clients that are economically disadvantaged.

July is
Minority Mental Health Month

BIPOC Mental Health Care Facts

Why BIPOC Mental Health Matters

Black/African American:

Latinx:

Asian American:

Middle Eastern:

Native American/Indigenous:

Barriers that Prevent Seeking Mental Health Assistance

Common Issues Among Immigrant and Refugee Communities

Manage and Assess Your Mental Health

Additional Minority Mental Health Month Resources

Scholarships and Awards

Publications

Online Learning

Connect with Us

Latest Photos

Quicklinks

American Counseling Association

July is Minority Mental Health Month

BIPOC Mental Health Care Facts

Why BIPOC Mental Health Matters

Black/African American:

Latinx:

Asian American:

Middle Eastern:

Native American/Indigenous:

Barriers that Prevent Seeking Mental Health Assistance

Common Issues Among Immigrant and Refugee Communities

Manage and Assess Your Mental Health

Additional Minority Mental Health Month Resources

Scholarships and Awards

Publications

Online Learning

Connect with Us

Latest Photos

Quicklinks

American Counseling Association

July is
Minority Mental Health Month