Educational Articles

“Black clients are less likely to receive guideline-consistent care. They also often receive poorer quality of care.”

Mental

Disparities

in

Health

Care

in the

Black

Community

W hen it comes to addressing mental health in the Black community, there are a num- ber of barriers and stigmas an individual may need to overcome if they desire to receive treat- ment. This accounts for the gap in the rate of Black people who receive treatment for concerns about their mental health as compared to white people. This can be attributed to several factors, including stigmas associated with mental illness, a lack of diversity and cultural competency among treatment providers and difficulty accessing affordable insurance and services. Thus, those offering treatment in this field must work to recognize, understand and address these factors to ensure they are overcoming these obstacles and providing quality care to this minority group. Mental health therapists and counselors working specifically with Black clients report a stigma that is attached to mental health services that creates a gap between mental health awareness and solutions. Black families often have the narrative of keeping family business private, or not inviting outside sources into matters within the home. “What happens in this house stays in this house,” is a mantra many individuals can recall hearing. However, phrases like this create men- talities that inhibit constructive expression or discus- sion of these situations to licensed professionals who can assist in working through specific issues. According to the Department of Health and Hu- man Services Office of Minority Health, Black adults are more likely than white adults to report persistent

tal health field, the APA found only two percent of psychiatrists are Black. A study from the University of Michigan reported white people account for about 95 percent of psychologists, 85 percent of social workers and 80 percent of counselors. With these sweeping percentages, many of the theories and practices of mental health have come from under- standings of the majority population, leaving little room to thoroughly study and apply those of minori- ties. To address these factors of diversity and cultural competency, those working in the field of mental health have the responsibility to improve the lives of their Black patients. This will require thoughtfully considering the historical, cultural and individual factors that influence the care that is given to this population of patients. Counselors can work to en- sure they educate themselves on the experiences of Black patients and the obstacles they have worked to overcome by seeking out care. Providers must also actively listen and evaluate each relationship to strengthen their alliance with patients and be more intentional in including more people of color in their staffing. Within the Black community, both families and individuals can work toward a more accepting perspective of taking mental health assessments and receiving care. These intentional actions can begin to bridge the gap in the Black community in regards to mental health and improve standards of psychological care.

symptoms of emotional distress. Of that group, those adults who live below the poverty line are more than twice as likely to report serious psychological distress than those who are more financially secure. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) reported Black people are 20 percent more likely to experi- ence serious mental health problems than the gen- eral population. This can be largely explained by a hesitance to seek care until they experience a crisis in their mental health. Additionally, historical factors play a part in af- fecting the access and quality of care that may be available to people of color. Slavery and segregation, along with other race-based exclusions, have created socioeconomic disparities within the Black commu- nity. These exclusions range from nearly every field, including education, finance and certainly mental health. Systemic racism has spanned further than just social implications, but it has also grown to affect the medical education, practice and research that creates the opportunity for qualityn care. The APA reported Black people are less frequently included in medical research and studies that can lead to more adequate treatment, funding and outreach for mental health programs and services. The organization found, compared to white people, Black clients are less likely to receive guideline-consistent care. They also often receive poorer quality of care, with less access to cul- turally competent care. With respect to a lack of diversity within the men-