The month of July is dedicated to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness.
This is a great opportunity to:
Be open-minded about the experiences of others and educate ourselves on the history of marginalized communities.
- BIPOC populations are faced with disproportionate amounts of historical trauma and are less likely to get treatment for medical or behavioral health issues due to cultural barriers, stigma, and lack of access to care.
- According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), suicide is the third leading cause of death among Latino Americans 10 to 24 years-old, and Latino men 25-34 years-old. There are many barriers to mental health care for our Latino communities including experiences of racism and discrimination, mental health stigma, and shortages of providers with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds which can lead to language barriers and a lack of medical professionals that are culturally competent to treat individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Take note of and share local and regional resources with those who may be in need.
- Look around you and notice what avenues you can use to advocate for our BIPOC community. Here are resources in Summit County that offer mental health services in Spanish and English:
