July is formally recognized as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (as of 2008), which has come to be known as BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. BeBe Moore Campbell was 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 communities, per Mental Health America (MHA).

BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month is about learning and supporting the nuances around BIPOC mental health that include historical context of different identity groups, barriers to well-being each group faces, strengths and resiliency factors of each group, and how cultural beliefs play a role in BIPOC communities. Mental Health America provided great insight into six identity groups this year. Keep reading to learn about these groups. And to see Mental Health America’s full “Beyond the Numbers” paper, go here.

American Indians and Alaska Natives

There are 3.7 million individuals in the U.S. who solely identify as American Indian/Alaska Natives, with an additional 5.9 million identifying as a combination of American Indian/ Alaska Native and another race. It is estimated that at least 18.7% of American Indian/Alaska Natives have experienced a mental health condition within the past year.

Barriers to Well-Being

• Access to mental health care is one of the largest barriers to well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals often due to high levels of poverty that prevent them from receiving services.
• Nearly half of Indigenous people in America rely on Medicaid or public coverage, which limits access to mental health services.
• Culturally-responsive care is also a significant issue among Indigenous people in America, which is due to the lack of historical context by many providers.

Cultural Beliefs

• It is important to recognize that Indigenous communities cannot be entirely generalized into one culture, as there are 574 federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribes and nations.
• Thus, the concept of mental health challenges, how they develop, and how they are treated have many different meanings and interpretations among various native communities.
• Specific cultural beliefs are under researched and not widely known among those outside of native tribes.

Strengths and Resiliency Factors

• Many Indigenous cultures embrace a worldview that naturally encompasses protective factors that support mental health: connectedness with the past and with others, strong family bonds, adaptability, oneness with nature, wisdom of elders, meaningful traditions, and strength of spirit are all values that promote well-being.

Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, South Asian Heritage

The Arab/Middle Eastern/Muslim/South Asian (AMEMSA) cultural group makes up an estimated 10+ million Americans and consists of heritages originating from more than 30 countries and territories throughout South and West Asia, as well as North Africa. Around 1 in 5 South Asian Americans will experience an anxiety or mood disorder in their lifetime.

Significant data on Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim Americans’ mental health is not available on a national scale. For the purposes of this educational content from MHA, these identities are being grouped into one cultural category, AMEMSA, as a way to identify the unique characteristics of groups that too often are generalized or overlooked when classified within other cultural categories, such as Asian/Pacific and Black/African American. Complexities around categorization additionally make the AMEMSA cultural group significantly underrepresented in research, including a lack of data surrounding AMEMSA mental health.

Barriers to Well-Being

• To begin understanding these cultural groups, one must first acknowledge that these cultures are excluded from the U.S. Census, among many other data sources. As an under-researched group, there is very little information available regarding the disparities or strengths within AMEMSA Americans.
• Thus, mental health services continue to present limited cultural sensitivity toward AMEMSA communities, and overall beliefs of stigma regarding mental health are unclear.
• Access to proper mental health care and wellness resources is substantially lacking for AMEMSA Americans.
• Lack of linguistically relevant material also has contributed to the disparities in these communities, often fully excluding these members from much needed resources.

Cultural Beliefs

• Stigma around mental illness may be common in AMEMSA communities, often associated with feelings of shame, mistrust, fear, secrecy, and disgrace.
• For many of these cultures, there are especially difficult complexities that occur within the context of social relationships. Reputation is highly valued in AMEMSA American cultures, and Arab families tend to associate caring for loved ones with a mental illness with fear, embarrassment, loss, and disgraced family reputations.
• For families from Jordan and Morocco, despair, secrecy, isolation, and helplessness are associated with such caregiving.
• South Asian Americans often have a value system based on family loyalty, obligation, and sacrifice, which can be connected to mental health stigma.
• Additionally, for those of South Asian heritage, stigma also impedes on seeking help.
• AMEMSA communities also value respect, family cohesion, and loyalty.

Strengths and Resiliency Factors

• For many AMEMSA individuals, faith plays a key role in well-being.
• Muslim communities have strong connections to community mental health rooted within their religion, which includes Imams, faith leaders, and having an integral role in community counseling. Due to these beliefs, many Muslim individuals will seek out their faith leader more than the traditional mental health services of Western medicine.
• Other AMEMSA communities, such as South Asians and those who believe in Hinduism, Jainism, or Buddhism utilize ancient practices such as yoga and other forms of meditation to promote well-being. These practices have been highly associated with self-rated health and wellness scores.
• Overall, these strengths and protective factors, when combined with the right mental health support, may lead to better outcomes and well-being

Asian and Pacific American Heritage

It is estimated that there are approximately 22.9 million Asian/Pacific Americans living in the U.S., including those with a combination of Asian Pacific Heritage and another race. Of this population, 2.9 million are living with mental health conditions. For the purposes of this toolkit, the Asian/Pacific heritage group consists of those with heritage originating from East Asia and the Pacific Islands, including Native Hawaiians.

Barriers to Well-Being

• Access to mental health care is one of the largest barriers to well-being for Asian/Pacific Americans, especially since nearly a third of Asian Americans do not speak English fluently.
• Health education is significantly lacking in Asian/Pacific American populations. There is a high need for support that is linguistically and culturally responsive to the unique needs of these populations.
• Asian/Pacific communities have had additional challenges accessing health care and insurance. Many Asian/Pacific individuals lack health insurance, making the option of mental health care financially inaccessible. This may be due to the access barriers listed above, as well as the high number of undocumented immigrants who are unable to get the insurance they need.
• Beliefs that mental health challenges are weakness and character flaws can often lead to secrecy in families and/or not being honest with oneself, leading to denial and neglecting symptoms of mental illness.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a much-needed media spotlight on the realities of being Asian/Pacific in America. Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose significantly within the first two years of COVID-19 and has had a direct impact on the mental health of those within these communities, leading to feelings of fear and uncertainty.

Cultural Beliefs

• Across Asian/Pacific cultures, stigmatized beliefs around mental health often lead to shame and guilt.
• Most Asian/Pacific cultures are collectivist, meaning the needs of the group are more important than individuals, and often place high value on reputation and relationships. This can cause a lower engagement with mental health treatment and cultures that seek to hide mental health challenges behind perceived strength and pride.
• Beliefs of perfectionism and high standards set by parents and families have been known to lead to distress, depression, and maladaptive behaviors.

Strengths and Resiliency Factors

• There is strong evidence that community plays an important role in Asian/Pacific American well-being, and many individuals often find solace among religious community members, family, friends, and other loved ones. 

Black and African American Heritage

Nearly 45 million people in the U.S. identify as Black, with at least 3.1 million identifying as a combination of Black and another race. More than 7 million Black and African American individuals in the U.S. are living with a mental health condition.

Barriers to Well-Being

• Racial disparities in mental health outcomes – and within the mental health care system – are well documented.
• Historically, the Black and African American experience in America has been unjustly characterized by violence and trauma, and racism and its effects are still pervasive.
• Black adults in the United States are more likely than white adults to report persistent symptoms of emotional distress – and face more barriers to receiving care. Less than half of Black and African American adults with serious mental health conditions received treatment, and even fewer Black and African American people with a substance use disorder received treatment.
• This lack of treatment is in part due to difficulty accessing services.
• Racism and bias within the health care system play an enormous role in this as well – with many Black Americans facing difficulties in getting needed care, tests, or treatment compared to white adults.
• Black Americans are offered medication and therapy less often than the general population.
• Even when services are accessible, they aren’t always culturally informed or relevant – very few of the psychology workforce is Black.
• Screening tools have historically lacked cultural responsiveness and the ability to correctly identify key stressors in Black and African American communities.
• Black and African American people with mental health conditions, specifically those involving psychosis, are more likely to be in jail or prison than people of other races because their symptoms are often labeled dangerous or scary. Instead of receiving needed care, Black and African Americans are instead overrepresented in prisons.

Cultural Beliefs

• Black and African American communities generally hold a strong stigma against mental health challenges and seeking help.
• According to research, many Black and African American people – especially men – believe that mild depression or anxiety would be considered “crazy” in their social circles, inappropriate to discuss even among family, and sign of personal weakness.
• The root of this stigma in the U.S. can be traced back to slavery – enslaved people were incorrectly thought to not be sophisticated enough to develop mental health conditions (except for made-up conditions created to keep them enslaved). Thus, mental health challenges were ignored, explained away as “stress” or “exhaustion,” or blamed on the individual.
• These long-held negative attitudes cause many in the Black and African American community to feel shame and avoid seeking help for treatable mental health challenges and conditions.
• Many people choose to seek support from their faith community over medical treatment. In several Black communities in the U.S., churches, mosques, and other faith-based institutions play a central role as a place to meet and support one another.
• Faith and spirituality can help aid in healing and be a valuable part of a treatment plan.

Strengths and Resiliency Factors

• Cultural values like family connection, expression through spirituality or art, and reliance on community networks can all be great sources of strength.
• Research has found religion, social and emotional support from family/peers/community, and Black identity to be among the most significant protective factors in Black populations.
• Religion or faith often supports mental health in a few ways – it can connect individuals to a community of people with whom they have something in common, as well as provide a deeper meaning or structure to their lives.
• Some studies have found religion to be particularly helpful during times of high stress or significant change.
• Connecting to Black identity and having a strong sense of community, heritage, and history can be another factor in resilience for Black individuals.
• Studies show that race is central to identity for Black Americans and impacts how they relate with each other and society at large.
• Having a strong sense of self is important to be able to thrive, and connecting with their cultural identity can foster that.

Latinx and Hispanic Heritage

There are over 61 million Latinx/Hispanic individuals living in the U.S, and nearly 10 million of those people are living with mental health conditions. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Barriers to Well-Being

• From the historical effects of mass genocides and colonization to current day immigration and xenophobia, as well as various inequities across the U.S., those within Latinx/Hispanic communities have had to rise up to be given basic dignity and respect.
• These experiences have led to cycles of generational trauma that often place the burden of healing onto the most recent generation.
• Xenophobia in health care, conforming to a different culture, and threats of violence can be major obstacles that prevent individuals from seeking help.
• These threats can also cause fear in the U.S.-born Latinx/Hispanic individuals due to stereotyping and biases.
• Systemic oppression in the U.S. has led to challenges around wealth, housing, food, and health care for both those born in the U.S. and those who immigrated here.
• For undocumented individuals, especially those who do not qualify under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief program, lack of health insurance, work permits, and fear of deportation can cause immense stress and inaccessible support.
• One of the biggest challenges that Latinx and Hispanic communities face is access to health care and health education.
• Despite improvements, language barriers continue to play a major role in the ability for Latinx/Hispanic individuals to find care that is culturally and linguistically responsive, and financially accessible.

Cultural Beliefs

• Mental health and well-being can be a complex topic in many Latinx/ Hispanic communities. There is often a need to hide one’s struggles in order to appear strong and capable. In doing so, mental health conditions often are hidden.
• Statements such as “that’s just how they are” can hinder the ability to identify and get treatment for mental health conditions.
• There may be a sense of shame that comes with vulnerability, which creates a mask of strength.
• Often, Latinx/Hispanic communities view themselves as hardworking and resilient individuals who have overcome immense challenges, which leads them to overlook their need for mental health support.
• Latinx/Hispanic communities tend to maintain the following core beliefs:
  • Familismo: the importance of families
  • Personlismo/Simpatia: the importance of prioritizing rapport building
  • Respeto: the importance of respect toward others, especially elders and authority figures
  • Confianza: the importance of trust, confidence, and mutual reciprocity in a relationship

Strengths and Resiliency Factors

• Diversity within Latinx/Hispanic cultures generates resiliency and strength, especially those who have survived many challenges and learned to thrive for themselves and their loved ones.
• These communities have and continue to protect and rely on ancient wisdom and natural resources to maintain health and wellness.
• Latinx/Hispanic communities are made up of mostly collectivist cultures. Connection to and understanding of one another is vital to community support and success.
• For many Latinx/Hispanic individuals, religion is often centered throughout their lives. Churches can serve as ways to connect with loved ones, catch up on social topics, feel supported, and offer hope. For mental health, this factor of hope and faith can be a key anchor that holds an individual or community to their values and expectations.

Multiracial Heritage

Individuals with multiracial heritage are one of the fastest-growing groups in the U.S. Of individuals who live with mental health conditions, 25% identify as two or more races. The term “multiracial” encompasses a wide variety of identities. These communities have varying experiences depending on each individual’s unique ethnic characteristics and closeness to each culture they are a part of. For the purposes of this toolkit, the “multiracial” cultural group will include unique experiences and perspectives of those who do not solely identify with one race.

Barriers to Well-Being

• The experience of having race assumed, targeted, or made fun of is a major challenge to the well-being of those with multiracial heritage.
• It is not uncommon for someone of multiracial heritage to hear microaggressions such as, “What are you?” There are also assumptions of what race the individual should or shouldn’t be perceived as.
• Often, these biases may be connected to one’s speech, skin tone, and other ethnic features that factor into how they are perceived in the world.
• Identity is complex for those with multiracial identities. There may be feelings of displacement and inadequacy in living up to one side of their identity or another.
• In mental health care, lack of knowledge around culturally responsive care for multiracial communities can be a major barrier to wellbeing and prevent individuals from getting the support they need.

Cultural Beliefs

• Culture and identity is complicated for many multiracial individuals,  who often shift their own labels and narratives of their race over time.
• Racial identity may also be fluid, with a person adjusting over time to different factors, such as a new understanding of their culture or changes of skin tone.
• Many adults with multiracial backgrounds do not choose to identify as “multiracial,” but rather identify more with one race instead of multiple.
• Multiracial individuals sometimes must carefully balance identities of each culture they originate from while also holding onto a strong sense of individual identity.
• Connection to culture may also change depending on the person’s mixture of heritage. In multiracial individuals who are of Black and white heritage, commonalities and strong senses of acceptance are often found within other Black communities.
• In multiracial individuals with Asian and white mixed heritage, it is more common to see oneself connected to white cultures rather than Asian ones.
• Diversity of cultures strongly contributes to diversity of perspectives.

Strengths and Resiliency Factors

• Multiracial individuals have strength in their experiences and perspectives. Research shows that children and adolescents who are multiracial have a firm sense of resilience.
• Additionally, it reveals that having a culturally diverse identity can lead to better empathy and appreciation of other diverse identities.
• The ability for multiracial individuals to live within the boundaries of different cultures and maintain an integrated multiracial identity has additionally been shown to be a large protective factor of psychological well-being.
• The majority of multiracial adults are proud of their mixed-race heritage and are able to see their identities as an advantage in their life.
• In considering the mental health of these communities, there must be special attention placed on helping individuals connect with their identities to lessen negative perceptions and promote positive well-being.
• This must include a person-centered, intersectional, and community-oriented lens to ensure that each person’s unique multiracial identity is supported.

Mind Body Co-op is Chicago’s only space for individuals to discover, explore, and heal what is occurring internally at the cognitive, emotional, and physical levels. This unique, holistic approach to treatment and wellness is born out of the belief that examining the cognitive, emotional, and physical pieces and how they intersect helps lead to uncovering your full potential by providing thoughtful, collaborative, and complete integrative mental health care. We offer a variety of clinical services, including individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, psychological/neuropsychological assessments, medication management, DBT, adventure therapy, therapeutic yoga, and more. We provide culturally-competent services in English, Mandarin, Spanish, French, Russian and Arabic. Learn more.