How to Support Minority Mental Health: Resources and Strategies

Disparities among different demographic groups in healthcare are well-documented, but the differences among different cultural, racial, and ethnic groups when it comes to mental health are less frequently talked about. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month—July—is one way to change that.

At Hudson River Care and Counseling, our skilled providers are dedicated to helping patients from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and racial groups get the mental health services they need in a safe and comfortable way. That certainly includes people from minority and marginalized communities. Historically, those communities face greater barriers to care and often have traumatic experiences related to systemic discrimination, socioeconomic disparities, language barriers, and other issues. 

Knowledge of the problem

One of the first steps in learning more about the problems minority community members may have in accessing appropriate mental health care. Lack of access to care is often an issue, and in some cases, finding care where the staff speaks your language or is aware of your culture is even more difficult.

Another problem that some people from minority communities encounter in seeking appropriate mental health care is cultural stigma about mental health. If the people closest to you don’t find it appropriate to talk about your mental health struggles, it can be extremely difficult to look for and accept care.

By learning the scope of the issue and the specific problems minorities encounter when it comes to mental health, you can begin to appreciate the challenges. 

Resources

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP) lists national resources that include general information and resources for specific communities. For example, Mental Health America recognizes the mental health burden of racism and bigotry. OK Clarity and Ruh Care are websites dedicated to providing mental health services to the Jewish and Muslim communities, respectively. 

ASFP also includes resources for other groups, including the Black community, Hispanic/Latinx community, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community, and Native and Indigenous Peoples. 

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) includes an Office of Health Equity (OHE). The mission of the OHE is “to ensure health equity is embedded in an all-of-public health approach to overcoming persistent health disparities and health inequities across a range of population groups that disproportionately experience poor health outcomes.”  

Strategies to support minority mental health

We work to promote mental health literacy for all people, but it’s particularly important in groups where mental health concerns are a source of stigma or shame. By having open conversations about mental health, we can reduce the stigma for everyone.

Hudson River Care and Counseling ensures that our facility provides culturally competent care. We encourage our community to learn more about their neighbors’ and friends’ cultures.

By supporting community initiatives and participating in mental health awareness campaigns and support networks, you can provide space for members of minority communities to get the mental health care they need. 

When you advocate for better mental health care and support policies that reduce the disparities in mental health care among various communities, you help make it more possible for everyone to get the care they need.

If you have questions about minority mental health issues, or you’d like to schedule an appointment with a counselor who is sensitive to the challenges minority and marginalized communities face, we’d be happy to see you at Hudson River Care and Counseling.