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Coalition Connection
Your Weekly Source of News, Training Opportunities, and Events
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Through a collective voice, the WCADVSA is committed to provide leadership, education, and systems advocacy to advance social change and end violence. | |
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Welcome to your weekly edition of the Coalition Connection!
Are you having difficulty viewing this e-mail or do you feel like you are missing some of the information in the Connection? If so, click here for help.
We will highlight important information in this section each week in red that requires your action or attention. This week's highlights include:
Opportunity
- Executive Director with the Community Safety Network
Our Work
- Save the Date - Spring WCADVSA Membership Meeting, May 11- 13, 2022.
- Program Support Calls have resumed!
- WCADVSA Laramie Office Hours and Program, Board, Staff and DVS List Reminder
- 2022 ERAP Updates
- 2020-2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Program
- Funds to Reduce Education, Employment, and Job Training Barriers for Survivors
- NNEDV Independence Project Available
- New granting cycle for RedRover's Safe Housing grants!
Policy Updates
- NTF VAWA Reauthorization Rally (recording)
- WY Legislature Update - We're in the News!
- WY Division of Victim Services Request for Proposals
- WCADVSA Policy Call: WY Legislature Budget Session - Fridays at noon
- Feedback for Wyoming VAWA Implementation Plan Requested
Training and Events
- Living Our Values: Supervision and Feedback for Survivor-Serving Organizations (recording)
- Core Rural Advocacy Training via Zoom!
- Transitional Housing Voluntary Services Training E-Learning
- QPR training for students
- Resource Sharing Project's Rural Learning Opportunities Addressing Stalking
Resources
- In Right Relationship materials for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
- Introducing the Student Survivor Toolkit
- Brave Conversations: Immigration Guide and Toolkit
- Introducing a new data collection system -- Vela!
Spotlight: Black Health and Wellness
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Executive Director
Community Safety Network
Community Safety Network, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter, support and advocacy for people affected by domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking as well as violence prevention, education and awareness in Jackson, Wyoming, seeks an Executive Director.
The Executive Director position description will be posted at csnjh.org/employment-opportunities.
For more information or to express interest, please contact our search consultant, Andrea Somerville, at andrea@somervilleconsultingfirm.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Criminal background check required
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Save the Date for our Spring Membership Meeting
Please join us for the Spring Membership Meeting May 11-13, 2022 at the Tate Pumphouse in Casper, WY. This in person meeting will follow the Division of Victim Services mandatory meeting May 10 - 11, 2022.
We've reserved hotel rooms at the Ramkoda - please mention the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault when making your reservation.
Agenda and registration information coming soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kristen at kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org
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WCADVSA Program Support Calls
Held first Tuesday of every month
at 1:00 pm via Zoom
Program Support Calls are an opportunity for DVSA program directors (or their designee) to connect with other programs and WCADVSA staff about the work being done around Wyoming. Coalition staff will invite others to join the support calls at the request of membership.
We held our first Program Support call of the year February 1, 2022, joined by Jason Petry and Darryl Erikson from DVS to answer questions about the Request for Proposals for SFY 2023 & 2024.
Our next Program Support Call is March 1, 2022. Join us by clicking this Zoom link (it will be emailed directly to member program directors). Contact Kristen at kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org with any questions or problems connecting.
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WCADVSA Office Hours and Program, Board, Staff and DVS List Reminder
WCASVSA Laramie Office is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you are unable to reach WCADVSA staff at (307) 755-5481, please let Kristen at kschwartz@wyomingdvsa.org or Tiffany at te-m@wyomingdvsa.org know. The majority of staff are in office full time, and some work a hybrid schedule splitting time between home and office to reduce the risk of full office exposure, quarantine and/or closure.
We've updated our Program, Board, Staff, and DVS List!
Click here to access our full contact list. Please email Celeste at ccollingwood@wyomingdvsa.org with any updates or corrections.
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2022 Emergency Rental Assistance Funding (ERAP) Updates
ERAP continues to see high demand for funding and has added caseworkers to address the rise in applications. Once households have submitted their application, please allow up to four weeks for applications to be processed and payments to be issued. To prevent any delays, make sure to supply any missing/incomplete documentation.
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Check your email: All correspondence will come from noreplywyoerap@wyo.gov. Please add this email to your contact list to avoid missing important emails.
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Find local assistance: Please reach out to your local application assistance organization to find help with meeting documentation criteria. Click here for contact information
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Use self-attestation: If you are unable to provide documentation, ERAP permits submitting a written attestation (letter) explaining unsafe or unhealthy living conditions or other evidence of risk of homelessness.
If you haven't already made a connection with your county ERAP CBO, here is a list of who they are. They are a wealth of information, so don't hesitate to reach out to them for assistance with rent and utility needs.
Funding Update
ERAP has reallocated $1M of to the Northern Arapaho Tribal Housing Program.
As of February 18, ERAP has approved a total of 7,874 applications, paying a total of $19.9M in assistance. Of the rental payments, $15.8M went to landlords, $2.9M went to renters and $1.1M to utilities. To see county specific information, click here.
Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) Seeking Providers for ERAP Housing Stability Services
The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is seeking new partners for a program designed to help older and disabled adults remain in their homes as long as possible, while also describing the program for residents who may be eligible for services. WDH is involved with Housing Stability Services, part of ERAP.
Housing Stability Services funding is aimed at helping eligible older adults and adults of any age with disabilities through services such as:
- Home modifications that increase accessibility and safety ($5,000 limit)
- Trailer/mobile home repairs on rented lots ($5,000 limit)
- Homemaking services such as chores and cleaning
- Personal care – skilled nursing services (RN, LPN, and CNA)
- Non-medical transportation
- Information technology hardware grants up to $400 for a video- and audio-enabled device
- Services such as cleaning and mental health counseling to address hoarding
“Home modifications and trailer/mobile home repair are included to help enable people to age in place and feel supported...There are some disabled adults connected with the program who had to move because their housing no longer suited their level of need... Adding bathroom handrails, improving flooring, and adding wheelchair ramps are examples of relatively simple steps that can help Wyoming residents continue to rent their properties and avoid homelessness or premature nursing home placement,” said Mark Kelly, ERAP-HSS program manager with WDH.
Kelly said the WDH Aging Division has seen a large demand for services across the state. “Unfortunately, we don’t currently have enough providers to meet demand, which can delay the services clients need.”
Provider applications are sought from across the state to help cover service gaps and to increase the variety of available services. Kelly noted the need for providers is especially high in Albany, Big Horn, Campbell, Fremont, Johnson, Sweetwater, Teton and Uinta counties and for some services in Laramie and Sheridan counties.
For more information about ERAP-HSS, email mark.kelly1@wyo.gov or call (307) 777-7988.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS
The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault provides legal aid services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Call 307-755-0992 or visit wyomingdvsa.org/legal-program.
ERAP Resources
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Online: Learn more about ERAP online at dfs.wyo.gov/erap.
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In Person: If you need assistance with an application, there are community-based organizations set up in each county to provide help. (Click here for an updated list)
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Via Phone: The call center is open 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday. The toll-free number is 1-877-WYO-ERAP (1-877-996-3727).
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Flyer: Download the ERAP flyer to learn more about the program and to share with those who may be interested in the program. Download here
If you have any questions or would like more immediate information, contact Angie at afessler@wyomingdvsa.org.
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2020-2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Program
The WCADVSA Transitional Housing Assistance Program is purposed to increase housing options, support service resources, and address barriers relevant to the delivery of transitional housing services to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
in Wyoming rural communities and within the Wind River Indian Reservation.
This program will primarily focus on supporting the needs of survivors who are Native American, older people, persons with disabilities, persons who are Limited-English-Proficient, persons who are immigrants, and/or survivors within extreme rural areas.
For more information about program requirements, working with participants and providing services, and accessing and utilizing this assistance please review the 2020-2023 Transitional Housing Assistance Program Policy.
Funds for the 2020-2023 grant cycle have all been pledged.
Contact Trish Worley, Economic Justice Specialist for technical assistance.
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Funds to Reduce Education, Employment, and Job Training Barriers for Survivors
With support from The Allstate Foundation, the WCADVSA has funds to support education, employment, and job training barriers for survivors. These funds can be used to help support survivors in obtaining G.E.D.s, job skills training, certifications, licenses, continuing education, education/job-related supplies such as uniforms, tools, and/or other equipment, transportation-related support, etc.
If your program is offering training on the Allstate Moving Ahead Curriculum or other economic empowerment training, you may request funds to support and encourage survivor participation such as offering food and/or childcare during economic empowerment events or gas gift cards for survivors to get to the training.
Member programs may also inquire about offering scholarships to help support survivor participation in job training programs such as CLIMB Wyoming.
Funds must be spent by June 30, 2022. We have approximately $8,276.00 remaining. Remaining funds will be pledged on a first come first serve basis. To request funds, please submit an Allstate Barrier Reduction Request Form. Once your request has been approved, your program will pay expenses upfront and then you can request reimbursement by submitting an Allstate Barrier Reduction Reimbursement Form.
While it is not required for participants to utilize the Allstate Moving Ahead curriculum to access these funds, financial planning and management is a life-long process and this online curriculum is designed for domestic violence survivors and can help provide the guidance and tools needed to make important financial decisions and work toward gaining long-term financial security.
If you have any questions, please connect with Trish Worley
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NNEDV Independence Project Available
Credit Building through Micro-Lending
Just a reminder that NNEDV is able to provide $00 credit-building, micro-loans to survivors.
Through the Independence Project, advocates and local domestic violence programs across the nation can support survivors of domestic violence in improving their credit scores through micro-lending. Through the Independence Project, a survivor can apply for a credit building micro-loan of $100 and to repay this loan over the subsequent 10 months with no interest.
Loan Qualifications:
- Be a survivor of domestic violence
- Meet with a domestic violence advocate 3 times
To apply please register at the following link: Independence Project Application Sign Up.
Thanks to the generous and continued support of The Allstate Foundation, which makes many of these loans possible!
Click here to learn more.
If you have any questions, please connect with Trish Worley or contact the NNEDV team.
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New granting cycle for RedRover's Safe Housing grants!
RedRover has moved the deadline for applications for Safe Housing grants to September 1, 2022 and have added a new grant cycle!
Grants of up to $60,000 are offered to nonprofit domestic violence and animal organizations across the United States. RedRover’s Safe Housing grants help survivors of domestic violence by removing a barrier to safety and allowing pets and people to escape abuse together. Flexibility in how to implement your pet program ensures that there is a solution for every community.
The Safe Housing grant application will always be open. Applications will be reviewed on March 1st, June 1st, and September 1st. Scroll down on that page and you'll find some additional resources including a PDF request for the application and a budget template.
And, don't forget about RedRover's Coaching program! They can provide you with FREE one-on-one support with everything from building partnerships to design/construction, to policies and procedures. If you're interested, fill out the application here.
If you have any questions, please connect with Katie Campbell.
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NTF VAWA Reauthorization Rally (recording)
On January 19, the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF), Angelina Jolie, and Senate sponsors of the upcoming Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization held a day of action to ask Senators to co-sponsor and pass the bipartisan consensus bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
You can see the 35 minute virtual rally recording here: https://www.facebook.com/NTFSDV/videos/2153114901536512
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WYOMING OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
DIVISION OF VICTIM SERVICES Request for Proposals
for SFY 2023 & 2024
All proposals must be submitted to the Division of Victim Services no later than 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
The Wyoming Division of Victim Services (DVS) is soliciting proposals for state fiscal years 2023 (7/1/22 – 6/30/23) & 2024 (7/1/23 – 6/30/24) from public and private non-profit agencies and organizations that serve victims of crime in Wyoming. Proposals will be funded through the Violence Against Women Act, the Victims of Crime Act, the Family Violence Prevention Services Act, and state general funds for the purpose of providing services to victims of crime in Wyoming.
More information regarding the application process including eligibility, allowable expenses, and reporting requirements can be found in the DVS Subgrantee Administrator’s Guide Book, located on the DVS website at https://dvs.wyo.gov/home, on the Funding page.
For more information contact DVS at 307-777-7200.
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Feedback for Wyoming VAWA Implementation Plan Requested
Spread the word! We are all invited to provide feedback on the Wyoming VAWA Implementation Plan. The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Division of Victim Services (DVS) is the state administrating agency for the S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Grant. The purpose of the S.T.O.P. VAWA grant is to support communities in their efforts to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violence against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving violent crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence.
As the state administrating agency, DVS is required to submit an Implementation Plan outlining how the state plans to use funds from the S.T.O.P. VAWA grant. Throughout 2021, DVS has convened a group of stakeholders to serve as a planning committee and they have developed a draft plan. DVS would like your feedback on the plan, specifically the goals, objectives, and activities. Click here to see the draft version of the plan. In the next few days, please review the plan and submit any comments or feedback that you have by using this link https://uwyo.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7O62XSTPThKGg8S
Your feedback is very valuable to this process. DVS and the planning committee will review all of the feedback and revise the plan taking your feedback into consideration. We appreciate you taking the time to review the draft plan.
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All year long, you can visit our website to review the most recent legislative sessions and what we have worked on, as well as archived previous years.
Follow this link, or you can always get to that page in the "Get Involved" drop-down menu and then "Public Policy". Please share with staff and board members. We'll work on getting our regular public policy zoom calls on that webpage, too.
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Wyoming Webinars, Training and Events | |
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Core Rural Advocacy Training via Zoom!
This training will meet 32 of the 40-hour requirement for DVSA program advocates and volunteers. (It may also be a great opportunity for newer/seasoned advocates to connect social change more deeply to their advocacy!) You can find more information on this training by going here.
When: March 14, 16, & 17 and March 21, 22, & 24 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.
Where: Via Zoom (link will be provided to registrants)
Who: DVSA program advocates and/or volunteers
Ready to register?! Please go here to register. Please use the “Submit” button, not the “Save & Exit” button, for your registration to be received.
Virtual Wellness: Long virtual trainings like this one can be a beast! Participants will be invited to engage in wellness activities throughout the training, as well as, having access to our Practicing Wellness folder for ideas. If you have virtual wellness ideas that you would like to share, please send along to Tiffany!
If you have questions, please email Tiffany E-Maestas or give her a ring at 307-789-8855.
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Transitional Housing Voluntary Services Training E-Learning
The NNEDV Voluntary Services Training in 2021 will be completed through an e-learning module. MOU partners (WCADVSA member programs) are encouraged to participate in the e-learning module if they are providing direct services. There is no limit on the number of staff who can take this e-learning course. But at least one person needs to complete the courses for the agency.
There are 8 lessons available. In total, you'll need to view 6 lessons to complete the training requirement. There are 5 mandatory lessons in Track A and 3 elective lessons in Track B. At least 1 lesson from Track B must be completed to meet the minimum lesson requirement.
Click this link to find the registration page. When you register, you will automatically be registered for both Tracks A and B and you will have access to all eight lessons. When you register, you'll be asked to create a username and password that is unique for you. Each person, who wants to take the course, should enroll separately. That way the certificate generates with your name on it.
The e-learning platform will track your progress. You can start, pause, and restart all of the lessons. Once you've viewed all of the lessons in Track A, and the lesson(s) you want to view in Track B, you'll need to complete the Course Completion Certification to obtain a certificate. In that quiz, you'll note the lesson(s) you viewed, and then click the "Print Your Certificate" button.
Please email a copy of your certificate to Trish Worley, Economic Justice Specialist
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National Webinars, Training and Events | |
Living Our Value
Supervision and Feedback for Survivor-Serving Organizations
Webinar Recording
Supervisors within domestic and sexual violence organizations must provide supportive guidance to lead and manage projects. Effective supervisors are trauma-informed, strengths-based, and highly relational. This requires the ability to engage in generative feedback that maintains mutual accountability and trust, advances equity, and supports professional growth.
This two-part webinar series is interdependent and participation in both sessions is highly recommended. Participants will have the opportunity to use supervision and feedback tools, engage in practical exercises, and apply strategies to use personally and within their organizations.
As a result of this webinar series, participants will be better able to:
- Explore different types of supervision and feedback strategies in order to discern the best fit for your work, style, and relationship with your peers.
- Examine personal reactions to giving and receiving feedback and practice skills to regulate your response and promote ongoing communication.
- Utilize tools and resources to build trust in your supervisory relationships and mutual staff support.
Click here to watch the recordings and get access to the handouts.
For questions, please contact Monica Arenas at marenas@futureswithoutviolence.org
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Wyoming QPR Initiative
Question.Persuade.Refer.
Three Steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide.
The Department of Health has pre-purchased specialized QPR training for any Wyoming resident!
The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. The Wyoming QPR Initiative provides quality education to empower all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know.
Please email Megan Selheim, megan.selheim@wyo.gov if you have questions.
Click here to register. To see which courses are available click here.
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Rural Learning Opportunities Addressing Stalking
Know More, Do More: Recognizing and Responding to Stalking
March 2nd, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 2:00 p.m. Central / 1:00 p.m. Mountain / 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Stalking is a prevalent, dangerous and often misunderstood crime. This webinar explores the dynamics of stalking, focusing on the highly contextual nature of the crime by discussing common tactics used by perpetrators, stalking’s co-occurrence with sexual and domestic violence as well as tools to plan for victim safety and hold offenders accountable.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be better able to:
- Identify stalking behaviors and dynamics
- Recognize the intersection of stalking with sexual assault and intimate partner sexual violence
- Apply strategies for working with victims of stalking
Click here to register
Stalking 2.0: The Use of Technology to Stalk
March 16th, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 2:00 p.m. Central / 1:00 p.m. Mountain / 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Stalkers are creative criminals who use – and misuse – a variety of technologies to locate, surveil and monitor their victims. This webinar will address common technologies utilized by stalkers, discuss documentation strategies as well as identify effective safety-planning strategies.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be better able to:
- Identify common technologies misused by perpetrators
- Identify strategies to document stalking and preserve technological evidence
Click here to register
Stalking Risk Assessment and Safety Planning
April 6th, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 2:00 p.m. Central / 1:00 p.m. Mountain / 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Stalking is a traumatic crime in its own right that often co-occurs with sexual and physical violence, including homicide. This session explores strategies to assess risk, identify the 14 risk factors in stalking cases and promote victim safety focusing on the diverse tactics stalkers may utilize.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be better able to:
- Assess the 14 risk factors in stalking cases
- Identify safety planning strategies for victims of stalking
- Utilize behavior logs for documentation purposes
Click here to register
Topical Office Hours: Stalking & Sexual Violence
April 12th at 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 2:00 p.m. Central / 1:00 p.m. Mountain / 12:00 p.m. Pacific
April Office Hours will be topical and staff from SPARC will join to further the conversations about stalking and sexual violence, and share more about the support they offer rural advocates. There is no registration link, you will be automatically send a link to join office hours the day of.
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Click here to view a variety of upcoming webinars, national training, and conferences. | | | |
In Right Relationship materials for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
In Right Relationship is a school-based campaign created for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month by the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence that engages middle school and high school-aged students in conversations about how to be in right relationship with ourselves and one another.
In Right Relationship campaign materials are available for order for FREE including:
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National Teen Dating Awareness & Prevention Month Posters for classrooms, counselor's office, and hallway. Spanish versions available!
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NEW! Engage young people in conversations on social media through animated video posters. Download here for a social media campaign on Instagram, Facebook, and other online platforms. Video posters available in English, Spanish and ASL.
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NEW! In Right Relationship pocket brochure is designed to encourage healthy relationships for middle/high school students. Download here.
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Support Friends, Unhealthy Relationships, Breaking Up, Technology & Relationships and Stalking pocket brochures for middle school and high school students. Great for health teacher's lesson plans, and counselor's office. Spanish versions are available!
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Healing from Abusive Relationships and Healing from Sexual Assault comprehensive booklets for youth who are experiencing teen dating violence, or youth who have friends who have experienced teen dating violence.
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Brave Conversations: Immigration Guide and Toolkit
Families Belong Together put together a "Brave Conversations" guide to encourage and support folks in having hard but necessary conversations about immigration.
The guide covers tips on engaging with conflict productively, examples of how to respond to common problematic ideas about immigrants/immigration, and helpful facts to pull from. We also have a social toolkit (with great GIFs!) to use for distribution.
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Introducing the Student Survivor Toolkit
We are excited to announce that we have launched the Equal Rights Advocates Student Survivor Toolkit last week as a new resource for student survivors, advocates, and allies. It is available on our website here as a PDF.
The Toolkit is a comprehensive 70 page guide written by student survivors, Title IX experts, attorneys, restorative justice practitioners, and community organizers. It includes guides to the Title IX process, survivor-centered self-care practices, advice for Muslim and LGBTQ+ survivors, and more.
We are reaching out to you, our trusted colleagues, collaborators, and student ambassadors, to share Equal Rights Advocates’ Student Survivor Toolkit and utilize and share it as a resource for continued student survivor advocacy. From its inception, the Toolkit has been a project for survivors by survivors. It has grown into a powerful body of work that we are thrilled to share with you.
If you or someone you know wants to know more about their rights and options, please schedule an appointment to speak with a legal advocate at Equal Rights Advocates. Please email advice@equalrights.org or fill out our online form here.
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We are excited to share with you a new data collection system -- Vela!
Our Coalition has partnered with Element 74 in using Coalition Manager, and they recently worked with advocates to create a new data collection system to meet local organizations unique needs.
With Vela you are able to track hotline calls, services, activities, generate true one-click data reports for major funders automatically generate your timesheet, and so much more. Vela is offered as a HUD comparable database, and meets or exceeds confidentiality standards.
Vela is worth looking into if you're considering adopting a new platform.
Click here to schedule a demo: https://calendly.com/veladirect/demo
Click here to view more information: www.veladirect.com
Please connect with Katie at Katie@veladirect.com with any questions!
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Black Health and Wellness
This year, Black History Month Theme was Black Health and Wellness. As it has become increasingly clear, Black Americans, and particularly black women, face many barriers in the medical system. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, people of color are more likely to be uninsured than their White counterparts. Moreover, when they do receive care, they are more likely to be dismissed, mistreated, and less likely to be referred to a specialist when necessary. Click here to learn more.
The Wyoming Health Council sent out an incredible article from SELF about how weathering, or the constant stress of racism may lead to premature biological aging and poor health for black people including higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Click here to read their full article.
More alarmingly, black women are 3x more likely to die of pregnancy related issues than white women in the U.S. due to many different factors including access to quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias within the healthcare system. Click here to learn more.
Mental health for Black Americans is another major issue to be considered when discussing overall health and wellness. According to Mental Health America mental health conditions occur in Black and African American people in America at about the same or less frequency than in White Americans. However, the historical Black and African American experience in America has and continues to be characterized by trauma and violence more often than for their White counterparts and impacts emotional and mental health of both youth and adults.
Historical dehumanization, oppression, and violence against Black and African American people has evolved into present day racism - structural, institutional, and individual – and cultivates a uniquely mistrustful and less affluent community experience, characterized by a myriad of disparities including inadequate access to and delivery of care in the health system. Processing and dealing with layers of individual trauma on top of new mass traumas from COVID-19 (uncertainty, isolation, grief from financial or human losses), police brutality and its fetishization in news media, and divisive political rhetoric adds compounding layers of complexity for individuals to responsibly manage.
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Black and African American people are more often diagnosed with schizophrenia and less often diagnosed with mood disorders compared to white people with the same symptoms. Additionally, they are offered medication or therapy at the lower rates than the general population.
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Black and African American people are over-represented in our jails and prisons. Black and African American people make up 13 percent of the general U.S. population, but nearly 40 percent of the prison population. Black and African American people with mental health conditions, specifically those involving psychosis, are more likely to be in jail or prison than people of other races.
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Because less than 2 percent of American Psychological Association members are Black or African American, some may worry that mental health care practitioners are not culturally competent enough to treat their specific issues.
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Stigma and judgment prevent Black and African American people from seeking treatment for their mental illnesses. Research indicates that Blacks and African Americans believe that mild depression or anxiety would be considered “crazy” in their social circles. Furthermore, many believe that discussions about mental illness would not be appropriate even among family.
Help-seeking behavior is affected by mistrust of the medical system and often begins with faith-based outreach. However, data shows that Black and African American people who screen positive for depression self-identify as planning to seek help at higher rates than the general population says they will seek help. Unfortunately, Black and African American providers, who are known to give more appropriate and effective care to Black and African American help-seekers, make up a very small portion of the behavioral health provider workforce. Because of these factors and more, Black and African American people are more likely to experience chronic and persistent, rather than episodic, mental health conditions. Yet, hope for recovery should remain, as light is shed on these issues - and the general public holds accountable policymakers and health systems to evolve better systems which eliminate inequities in mental health services. Click here to read more.
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