Minority Mental Health

Mental illness is a lot more common in the United States than we might think. On average, one in six teens ages 12-17 in the United States suffer from a mental illness. This number goes up to 1 in 3 in young adults ages 18-25. There are a myriad of factors and one of which we cannot control–race and ethnicity. Minority groups such as Asian, Black, and Latino seem to be more susceptible and are far less likely to seek treatment compared to their White counterparts. What are the causes of mental health disparities between race and ethnicity and what can we do to bridge the gap and make mental health care more accessible to everyone? So far, there seems to be a limited amount of research in this area. Many factors play a role as to why there hasn\u27t been a clear answer, one of which is the stigma that comes with mental health and mental illness and disabilities. It may be difficult to settle on a correct answer, if there is one. Conducting interviews with healthcare professionals and behavioral health workers in Spanish communities will be the first step in collecting different perspectives of those who work in the field of mental illness who are providing treatments to Spanish speaking communities. The goal is to identify disparities and barriers that may prevent minority groups from receiving the treatment they deserve. As a result, we can look forward to cultivating a more inclusive community-based and individualized treatment options and reach out and help those who may need it the most