
By Valley Medical Center’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month, was created to bring awareness to the unique mental health challenges that minority groups face in the United States.
Working tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities, Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher and mental health advocate who described the unique challenge for black, indigenous and people of color when she said, “While everyone—all colors—everyone is affected by stigma—no one wants to say ‘I’m not in control of my mind.’ No one wants to say, ‘The person I love is not in control of [their] mind.’ But people of color really don’t want to say it because we already feel stigmatized by virtue of skin color or eye shape or accent and we don’t want any more reasons for anyone to say, ‘You’re not good enough.’”
This year’s theme for BIPOC Mental Health Month is #BeyondTheNumbers. “We know that numbers are important. They give us a snapshot of the bigger picture. Statistics and data give us the ability to understand key connections that help us to make informed decisions. But, numbers don’t tell the whole story, instead only giving us a broad view that misses the deeper and individual context. For BIPOC communities, we also know that numbers focus much too often on disparities rather than strengths and resilience. Just as every person is unique, so is every culture,” says the Mental Health America organization. To read more about this year’s Mental Health America theme, click here.
During the month of July, we celebrate the strength and resilience of the BIPOC community. Where traditional systems of care may have left them unsupported, members of these communities have forged new ways to create networks of care that foster mental health.
Please Visit Community-Developed Support Resources—by communities of color, for communities of color
American Indian and Alaska Native
- We R Native | For Native Youth, by Native Youth
- One Sky Center | National Resource Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Education, and Research
Black
- Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM) | Training, movement-building, and grant-making activities
- Boris L Henson Foundation | Eradicate stigma around mental health issues in the African American community
- Trevor Project | Crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for Black LGBTQ+ individuals
- Therapy for Black Girls |Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.
- Therapy for Black Men | Provides proactive, multiculturally competent care to men of color
Asian & Pacific Islander
- Asian American Racism & Mental Health Resources | Education and prevention, research, and clinical consultation and referral
- Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum | Oldest and largest health advocacy organization working with Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
- Destigmatizing Mental Health in Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities | SAMHSA overview of work by the Asian Pacific American Officers Committee of the U.S. Public Health Service and the organization Cambodian Family
- The South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network | Addresses a broad range of mental health needs of the growing South Asian community in the United States
Latinx
- National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC | A member of the national MHTTC network dedicated to Hispanic and Latino mental health
- Latinx Therapy | Connecting individuals looking for a therapist; also English and Spanish-language resources for children and adults
- National Alliance for Hispanic Health | Premier, science-based and community-driven organization focused on the best health for all
LGBTQ+
- National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network | The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC).
Local King County spaces for community, connection and healing:
- NAMI Seattle
- NAMI – BIPOC Mental Health Resources
- Asian Counseling and Referral Service
- Perinatal Support Washington – Resources for Families of Color
- Consejo Counseling and Referral Service
- Mother Nation – Honoring the Beauty and Strength of Native Women
- King County – Balanced You Resources
- WA Therapy Fund
- Washington Counselors of Color Network
- Black, Indigenous and People of Color Support Group
- Umoja Peace Center
- Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle
- Ethiopian Community in Seattle
- Seattle King County NAACP
- Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
- Community Passageways
Books to learn more:
- The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health by Rheeda Walker
- (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health by Kelly Jensen
- It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn
- The Body Papers by Grace Talusan
- Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
- Heart Berries by Terese Mailhot
- Vibrate Higher Daily by Lalah Delia
King County Library System – Get a Library Card!
- Audiobooks and eBooks available
- BIPOC Mental Health Month Reads
Pierce County Library System – Get a Library Card!
- Audiobooks and eBooks available
Photo courtesy of Mental Health America