Family Counseling Center Recognizes July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
[Gloversville, NY] This July, communities across the nation come together to observe Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the unique mental health challenges faced by minority populations. Established in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, an author and activist, this month-long observance aims to foster dialogue, reduce stigma, and encourage access to mental health resources among minorities.
The initiative, which began as a grassroots effort to address disparities in mental health care, has gained momentum in recent years. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), minority groups often experience higher levels of psychological distress due to various factors. Throughout our national history displacement, mistreatment, and economic racism have disproportionately affected black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).
July’s focus on BIPOC mental health is an effort to increase awareness and understanding of BIPOC mental health, the steps individuals can take to protect their mental health through community-led action and organizing, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for BIPOC people with mental health conditions.
Barriers to care and stigma often impede individuals from seeking help. BIPOC communities often have the lowest treatment rates. 36.1% of Asian adults with mental illness received treatment in 2022 and 37.9% of non-Hispanic Black or African American adults with mental illness received treatment during the same period.
Resources:
- Mental Health America BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month
o https://www.mhanational.org/bipoc/mental-health-month
- NAMI Bebe Moore Campell Mental Health Awareness Month
- When we reach out for help, we begin to heal ourselves and our communities. Take a free mental health screening at: www.mhascreening.org.
The Family Counseling Center of Fulton County has been serving the community since 1976. The mission of The Family Counseling Center is to offer the skills, support, and guidance needed to assist all individuals and families in its service area with living their healthiest lives. The Center is licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health, providing services to children as young as five years old. For more information about The Family Counseling Center, its services, or how you can become a volunteer, please go to www.thefamilycounselingcenter.org.
