The African-American Technical Assistance Program believes that utilizing information developed by the Bebe Moore Campbell Organization to support July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month can greatly benefit our BIPOC communities. Formally recognized in June 2008, July is now recognized as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The information listed below is from a tool kit created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face concerning mental illness in the United States. This information was distributed by Mental Health America.

We will be providing examples focused around the 2021 theme, “Strength in Communities.” The information below will highlight alternative mental health support created by and for BIPOC, Queer, and Trans (QTBIPOC) communities of color. The tool kit explores three topic areas: community care, self-directed care, and culturally-based practices. Below, we will list just a few examples of each of these topics and recommendations for utilizing these resources in communities of color.

COMMUNITY CARE: An approach utilized by individuals to support one another and the broader community. Community care has existed in BIPOC and QTBIPOC communities for generations. This approach relies on the beliefs of communities where the individual’s well-being is intrinsically tied to the well-being of others in the larger community. One example of community care is the community healthcare workers. These are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community and have an intimate understanding of the communities that they serve. Community health workers are recognized by various titles, including community health advisors, outreach workers, and faith-based groups. These are just a few groups that offer community support in mental health services.

CULTURALLY-BASED PRACTICES: Culturally rooted behaviors, values, and beliefs passed down through generations that function as informal support systems. These culturally based practices are part of a socially dynamic framework of assistance provided by and to individuals by their families, friends, and communities. One example of culturally-based practices include healing or prayer circles, which often include sharing personal experiences, chanting, and collective prayer. These culturally-based practices are often found in multi-generational households where individuals who live within a shared space may vary, but are usually made up of grandparents, adults and children, spouses of adult children, siblings, and offspring.