Racism and racial trauma can cause serious mental health issues.
48% of white people with mental illness received services, compared with just 31% or black or Hispanic people and 22% of Asian people in the U.S.
Barriers to care include: greater lack of insurance in minorities, mental illness stigma greater for minorities, lack of diversity from providers, language barriers, and distrust of the system.
Black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), when compared to white people are: less likely to have access to mental health services, less likely to seek it out, less likely to receive care, more likely to have diminished care quality, and more likely to end care sooner.
BIPOC people likely to end up in jail for symptoms rather than receive necessary treatment, over 50% of incarcerated have mental health issues, and BIPOC people are incarcerated at higher rates.
BIPOC more likely to bear a disability burden from mental disorder.
Native and Indigenous American adults have the highest rates of mental illness of any single race identifying group, people identifying as two or more races have the highest of any group.
Access and cultural competency of providers are major barriers to care.
86% of American psychologists are white, and less than 2% of APA members are African American.
