Mental Health America recognizes that Black, Indigenous, and people of color have rich histories that go #BeyondTheNumbers. While there are stories of resilience born out of oppression, persecution, and abuse, there is immeasurable strength in each of these cultures. In an increasingly diversified America, we acknowledge the specificity of individual and group experiences and how it relates to their beliefs and well-being. BIPOC communities are significantly more likely to develop mental health conditions, and one of the major barriers to mental health treatment is access and the need for understanding mental health support. #BeyondTheNumbers explores the nuances and uniqueness in BIPOC communities.

This year’s theme for BIPOC Mental Health Month is #BeyondTheNumbers. Join us and together, we will gain knowledge on historical context, systems of support, and actionable ways to move forward toward a mentally healthy future.

• Who was Bebe Moore Campbell? by MHA National
• Racial Trauma: Facts and Information by MHA National
• Systemic racism can leave black people suffering from symptoms similar to PTSD from Courier Journal
• KY psychologists: Cumulative racism leads to racial trauma, similar to PTSD. from Herald Leader
• Healing Themselves and the Community: What 4 Black Therapists Say About Racial Trauma from Courier Journal
• Pandemic, Racism Compound Worries about Black suicide rate from Herald Leader
• For Some Black Americans, Therapy is Losing its Stigma from Wall Street Journal
• COVID-19’s Adverse Impact on Mental Health Access for People of Color from Bipartisan Policy Center
• Take A Stand On Racial Injustice: Perspectives From Mental Health Experts In Advocacy And Psychiatric Health Care from PsychU
• Live Discussion of Indigenous Two Spirit and LGBT+ Community Mental Health from MHA National
• 10 Ways White Therapists Can Address Racism in Therapy With Black Clients from ZenCare
• 12 Ways White Therapists Can (and Should) Use Their Privilege to Help People of Color from TherapyDen
• Reading the Rainbow of Mental Health from MHA National
• A Black, Christian’s Journey to Mental Wellness from MHA National
• Faith, Spirituality and a Connection to Mental Health from MHA National
• History of Systemic Racism in the US from MHA National
• How to Combat the Mental Health Toll of Racism from PBS Newshour
• “Racism in mental healthcare: An invisible barrier” fromMedical News Today
• Structural racism is why I’m leaving organized psychiatry from STAT
• Black Americans on Mental Health, Trauma and Resilience from STAT
• This is What Racial Trauma Does to the Body and Brain from HuffPost
• (Re) Defining Resilience: A Perspective Of ‘Toughness’ In BIPOC Communities from MHA National
• Black Americans experience deadly stress as a pandemic and violent racism collide, experts say from NBC News
• Protective Factors for Healing from Trauma in BIPOC Communities from MHA National
• Police are the First to Respond to Mental Health Crises; They Shouldn’t Be from VICE News
• What You’ll Never Understand About Being Biracial by Marie Claire
• Americanizing Asians: The Mental Toll of Being Asked to Change Your Name from NBC News
• Why Silence Weighs Heavily On The Mental Health Of Marginalized Communities from MHA National
• The effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of Indigenous communities from Medical News Today
• Racism Deniers Make It Harder To Do This Incredible, Exhausting Work from MHA National
• Post-Traumatic Blackness Disorder from The Root

July was designated as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008 to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the United States (US).

While the term ‘minority’ is traditionally associated with racial, ethnic, or cultural minorities within the US, Mental Health America (MHA) is focused on expanding this term to include individuals from a wide-range of marginalized and underserved communities, including those who may identify as part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, refugee and immigrant groups, religious groups, and others who are often overlooked.

By making this term more inclusive, we are broadening our way of thinking and underscoring the need to address mental health issues with a unique lens while integrating the varied needs of diverse communities.
​
Through our efforts, we aim to shed light on the multitude of mental health experiences within these communities.