Observed each July, National Minority Mental Health Month raises awareness of mental health challenges and disparities in minority communities. It also serves to honor the legacy of Bebe Moore Campbell, an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented populations.

Those needs are more than pressing, with KKF – an independent source for health policy research – recently reporting that among adults experiencing persistent mental health symptoms, Black, Latinx, and Asian adults were significantly less likely to receive mental health services that White adults. The report further indicates that Black individuals in this country have a 31% lack of health insurance, dramatically reducing access to mental health treatment.

Barriers to care go beyond lack of insurance. Cost, absence of culturally competent providers, and stigma surrounding mental health struggles all contribute to those in underserved communities receiving care.

Moreover, systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and discrimination continue to influence the mental health of racial and ethnic minority groups, emphasizing the importance of behavioral health strategies that validate and address those experiences and their impact on mental and overall health.

Whittier Street Health Center is committed to providing equitable, accessible, and culturally responsive mental health care for individuals and families across our community. Our Behavioral Health Department consists of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers, and licensed mental health counselors who offer individual, family, couple, and group counseling. A wide range of mental health issues are treated, including depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and stress-related problems.

At Whittier, we treat every individual facing mental health challenges with compassion, respect, and dignity.

For more information, please call 617-989-3009 or 616-989-3224.