[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 14, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IMPORTANCE OF ACTION AND ADVOCACY FOR BLACK MENTAL HEALTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOYCE BEATTY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 2024

  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, today I stand with my Congressional Black 
Caucus colleagues to address the urgent challenges faced by the Black 
community in mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month and to 
call us to advocacy, awareness and action.
  While Black adults experience mental illness at similar rates to the 
general population, they face different outcomes. Between 2010 and 
2020, Black individuals saw significant increases in suicide rates. 
While the share of drug overdose deaths among majority individuals 
decreased between 2015 and 2020, shares of these deaths among Black 
people rose, accounting for their disproportionate share of drug 
overdose deaths.
  The barriers to mental wellness for Black Americans are complex. They 
include but are not limited to mental health treatment stigma, limited 
access to culturally competent care, or care at all, and the enduring 
effects of racism and racial trauma. Historical and ongoing racism 
contributes to higher poverty rates, increased incarceration, and 
limited access to healthcare and housing, as well as more subtle forms 
of discrimination like microaggressions, all of which deeply impact 
Black mental health.
  Despite comparable rates of mental health conditions, only 39 percent 
of Black individuals have received mental health services due to 
systemic barriers and stigma. Approximately 10 percent of Black people 
lack health insurance, significantly affecting their access to care, 
and when care is sought, it often occurs in emergency departments 
rather than from mental health specialists. The scarcity of Black 
professionals in the mental health field exacerbates this gap in health 
care access, understanding, and trust.
  Our response must include advocacy, awareness, and action.
  We must push for policies that dismantle systemic barriers to mental 
health care, and societal drivers of Black mental health challenges. We 
must pursue initiatives that focus on education and destigmatization so 
more Black individuals seek help without fear of judgment. And we must 
act. We must promote diversity, equity, and inclusion training in 
medical education and provider training to mitigate provider bias and 
care inequality. And we must continue to address the enduring effects 
of racism and racial trauma.
  Mental health is a right, not a privilege, and it is our duty to 
ensure that this right is upheld for every community, especially those 
that have been marginalized for far too long. Let us use National 
Mental Health and Wellness Month to commit to meaningful change. 
Together, we can foster healing, understanding, and resilience for all 
Americans.

                          ____________________