National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each July to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for racial and ethnic minority groups to get access to mental health and substance-use treatment services.
Throughout the month, the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) will focus on promoting tools and resources addressing the stigma about mental health among racial and ethnic minority populations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. OMH encourages state, tribal, and local leaders, community-based organizations, faith leaders, healthcare providers and individuals to educate your communities regarding mental health stigma.
Visit the Office of Minority Health’s site for shareable social media messages, downloadable graphics and health resources. Access the free and accredited OMH e-learning program: Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals. This program is part of OMH’s Think Cultural Health E-learning courses, which aims to assist health professionals in building and sustaining culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Also available on this site is the Behavioral Health Guide, which underscores the ways in which the National CLAS Standards can improve access to behavioral health care, promote quality behavioral health programs and practice and ultimately reduce persistent disparities in mental health and substance use treatment for underserved minority communities