Minority (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month

July is Minority (or BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month – a time to bring awareness and advocate for those in need of support. Cultural differences can influence coping mechanisms and how we seek help when needed. It is a time to educate, learn from the experiences of others, and shine a light on available resources that are tailored to minatory groups who are often overlooked, underserved or afraid to speak out.

Below, is a list of resources that can be used to find support, community, or information.

1. Mental Health America: The organization's website includes an explanation of what BIPOC Mental Health Awareness is, the history of how July came to be the month dedicated to bringing awareness to the circumstance, and general statistics regarding different minority groups. Community Care and Peer Support programs are also available to those in need.
2. Office of Minority Health (OMH): An all-encompassing organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of minority populations throughout the U.S. In addition to a robust library of data and information, OMH focuses on promoting policies, programs and practices to support and spread health equity and eliminate disparities among demographics.
3. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI provides advocacy, education and public awareness so that all individuals affected by mental illness can build better lives. As part of the journey to self-care, the website outlines a wide range of information about cultural barriers, how to seek help and outlines organizations that specialize in supporting AAPI, Black, LatinX, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ community members, as well as people with disabilities.
4. Mental Health Resources: This site provides links to a variety of mental health resources for underrepresented communities. The list includes organizations and nonprofit programs in addition to therapy initiatives all across the country.
5. Contact Your Healthcare Provider Whether you have Kaiser, United Healthcare, Aetna, Blue Shield or something else, healthcare providers have a variety of resources and support programs available to you all year long, and many are provided free of cost!

This is a time to educate and prioritize wellness. If you or someone you know would benefit from these resources, please utilize them accordingly!