Advocacy for Minority Mental Health Awareness
Here are some resources for advocacy efforts, ranging from grassroots community organizing to federal policy change.
National Organizations & Advocacy Resources
Primary Advocacy Organizations:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The nation's largest grassroots mental health organization with over 650 state and local affiliates, offering advocacy training, action alerts, and resources specifically for Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health America (MHA): Provides essential mental health resources, advocacy, and support with a dedicated BIPOC Mental Health Resource Center.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Offers mental health resources specifically for marginalized communities and advocates for culturally appropriate, evidence-based care.
Community-Based Advocacy Resources
Black-Led Organizations:
BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective): A national organization that trains community leaders, therapists, and wellness practitioners to disrupt racism, ableism, and mental health criminalization in Black communities through education, training, advocacy, and creative arts
Black Mental Health Alliance: Works to develop culturally-relevant educational forums, trainings, and referral services that support Black communities
The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: Focused on eradicating stigma around mental health in the African-American community
Culturally-Specific Resources:
Loveland Foundation: Committed to supporting communities of color with particular focus on Black women and girls
National Alliance for Hispanic Health: Ensures health incorporates science, culture, and community for Latino populations.
National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA): Provides a unified national voice for Latino populations in the field of behavioral health.
Advocacy Action Steps
Policy and Legislative Advocacy:
NAMI Action Center: Sign up for advocacy alerts, contact policymakers, and share personal stories to influence mental health policy
Federal Legislation: Support bills like the "Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act," which authorizes funding to address mental health disparities in underserved communities
Community Leadership: Ask governors and mayors to make proclamations recognizing National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Community Advocacy Strategies:
Healthcare Systems Advocacy: Ensure mental healthcare services are culturally and linguistically appropriate
Cultural Barrier Removal: Address stigma, lack of cultural competency, and limited access to treatment in minority communities
Policy Change: Advocate for extending insurance coverage, increasing funding for community mental health services, and implementing anti-discrimination policies
Training and Education Resources
Professional Development:
BEAM's Black Mental Health & Healing Justice Peer Support Training: Curriculum focused on applying emotional support through the healing justice framework
NAMI Sharing Hope Program: Three-part conversation series for racially and ethnically diverse communities, including programs for Black/African Ancestry, Hispanic/Latin American, and South Asian communities
Government Resources
CDC Office of Health Equity: Provides guidance on addressing social determinants of health impacting minority mental health
SAMHSA Behavioral Health Equity Resources: Data on health disparities and guidance for improving cultural and linguistic competency
Crisis Response:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for immediate mental health crisis support
NAMI HelpLine: Available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET at 800-950-6264