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July is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Mental Health Month,
also known as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental
Health Awareness Month. Bebe Moore Campbell was a teacher,
author, and journalist, and her works of fiction were known for
exploring the effect of racism on health and relationships.
Her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, told the story of a girl being raised by a mother with Bipolar Disorder. Campbell was one of the founders of NAMI-Inglewood in California, and was a national advocate for
ending mental health stigma and providing education to communities.
People in BIPOC groups are less likely to receive help for their mental health needs. Barriers to needed care include stigma, lack of insurance, lack of behavioral health provider diversity or cultural competence, and language barriers. In addition, BIPOC youth with behavioral health needs are more likely to be referred to the juvenile justice system than white youth with similar needs.
Building a healthy community means ensuring equitable access to care.
We encourage organizations to explore the Health Equity and Racial Justice Within Integrated Care Settings Toolkit from the Center of Excellence for
Integrated Health Solutions (CoE-IHS), which is designed to help understand
health equity-related challenges and mental health and substance use
treatment disparities, and provides strategies for improving health equity.
We would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Independence Day.
There are planned celebrations throughout the county for the holiday
weekend, so be sure to check out our event calendar below.
If you are in crisis and need help, our Warmline is open 24/7 at 410-768-5522.
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