Addressing Health Equity and Racial Justice
As we continue to grapple with the overwhelming aspects of an international pandemic, people across our nation have taken to the streets, staff meetings and boardrooms to demand change around systemic racism and its devastating effects.
The National Council acknowledges that many of the institutions throughout our country were founded upon and continue to perpetuate systemic racism. Our health care system, including behavioral health is no exception, and is rife with less obvious but deeply insidious examples of these inequities. We must address the persistent behavioral health disparities rooted in systemic racism and work to support our members in improving health care access.
Eliminating disparities will improve individual and community health. As an organization, we have vowed to raise awareness about health care inequities and continue to be committed to providing support to our members as they begin addressing these inequities.
To support you in addressing racial inequities and the associated stigmas that lead to behavioral health disparities and to ensure you have the tools to support your patients and providers, the National Council has compiled this online resource of webinars, tools and other resources with the most up-to-date materials available.
This page will be continually updated as new information becomes available to better serve you and your organization.
Background
Explore our work in this space:
- Learn more about our DEI commitments
- Learn more about our policy priorities and work to prevent discrimination
- Learn more about our work to increase health equity nationwide
- Learn how Mental Health First Aid is helping minority populations
- Read our joint statement about health care inequities with NASMHPD
Tools & Resources
Discover these learning opportunities:
- Discover how our Consulting Team can help you achieve your health equity goals
- Enjoy our monthly Social Justice Leadership Academy Learning Series events
- Join our Interest Groups to support underrepresented populations
- Lend your voice in support of mental health and substance use advocacy
- Receive our weekly Capital Connector newsletter to stay informed of health care legislation
- Visit our webinar page to attend future webinars about minority mental health
View our publications and toolkits:
- 2021 CCBHC State Impact Report: Transforming State Behavioral Health Systems
- Addressing Disparities in Access and Utilization of Mental Health and Substance Use Services Among Blacks and African Americans: Solutions from Community Stakeholders
- Access for Everyone: A Toolkit for Addressing Health Equity and Racial Justice within Integrated Care Settings
- Social Justice Leadership Academy Workbook
- TI-ROC Climate of Equity Assessment
- TI-ROC Cultural Humility Scale
- Training Public Safety to Prevent Overdose in BIPOC Communities
- Suicide in U.S. Black and African American Communities
Enjoy our virtual learning products:
- Check out our library of virtual learning events and videos
- National Council Conversations: Episode 3 – DEI in the Workplace
- Perception is Everything: The Impact of Implicit Bias in Mental Health & Addictions
- Wellbeing Wednesdays: Episode 5 – Overlooked: Mental Health & Substance Use Among LGBTQ+ Communities
Original Content
Read our BH365 blog posts:
- Caring for Black Adults with Serious Mental Illness
- During Black History Month, Let’s Commit Ourselves to Improving the Mental Health of Black Americans
- Furthering the Wellbeing of BIPOC through Integrated Care
- Health Equity Remains Elusive, But These Strategies Will Help
- Moving Forward this Black History Month – Setting Youth Up for Success
- Stigma Regarding Mental Illness among People of Color
- Trauma, Race and the Perils of COVID-19: A Call to Foster Community Resilience
- Turning COVID-19 Challenges into Opportunities: Tele-behavioral Health within Latino Communities
- We Aren’t Doing Enough to Help AAPI Youth
- We Need More Than Inclusion: Reframing Engagement to Foster Diversity and Equity
Read our Mental Health First Aid blog posts:
- Incorporating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging into Mental Health First Aid
- Addressing Increasing Suicide Rates in the Black Community: How You Can Help
- Black Mental Health Matters: A Resource Guide
- Four Ways Culture Impacts Mental Health
- Four Ways to Show Support This Minority Mental Health Month
- Five Ways to Be More Culturally Aware
- Five Ways to Support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a First Aider
- Providing Mental Health First Aid to LGBTQ+ Communities
- Supporting the Black Community as a Mental Health First Aider
- Supporting Minority Mental Health in the Workplace
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Minority Mental Health
- Understand Workplace Concerns of Black Employees
Webinar Recordings
Revisit out webinars:
- Addressing Diversity, Equity and Engagement in Organizational Structure
- Addressing Health Equity and Racial Justice within Integrated Care Settings
- Addressing OUD in BIPOC Communities: Treatment and Recovery for African American Communities (Part 1)
- Addressing OUD in BIPOC Communities: Treatment and Recovery for Hispanic/Latino Populations (Part 2)
- Addressing OUD in BIPOC Communities: Treatment and Recovery for Native American Populations (Part 3)
- Addressing Racial Equity Within Your Organization
- Addressing Trauma, Racism and Bias in Behavioral Health Service Delivery (Part 1)
- Addressing Trauma, Racism and Bias in Behavioral Health Service Delivery (Part 2)
- Advancing Health Equity Starts with Us
- Breaking Down Health Literacy, Cultural and Linguistic Barriers in Integrated Care Settings
- CoE-IHS Office Hour: Providing Integrated Care Services & Advancing Health Equity for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Establishing Culturally Centered Peer Support Services
- Health Equity and COVID-19 – Addressing the Disproportionate Impact
- Integrating Racial Equity and Mental Wellbeing in Tobacco Cessation
- Promoting Organizational and Self-care Strategies for African Americans
- Providing Affirming and Supportive Care to Transgender Individuals in Integrated Care Settings
- Providing Inclusive and Integrated Services to LGBTQ+ Individuals
- Racial Equity and Social Justice in Integrated Care Settings
- Resilience-oriented Strategies to Promote Healing around Historical and Contemporary Racial Inequities
- Returning to the Office? Equitable Considerations and Implications
- Short-Term Policy Relief to Enhance the Workforce
- Strategies for Supporting Integrated Care Needs of LGBTQ+ Youth
- Strategies to Support Wellbeing and Retention of BIPOC Staff
- Structural and Systemic Biases Webinar Recording – SJLA Learning Series May 2022
- Supporting Leadership Development among BIPOC Staff
- Sustaining the Momentum – Reflecting on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement Efforts Since June 2020
- Understanding Black and African American Experiences in Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Services
- Understand Health Inequities, Health Disparities and Social Determinants of Health within Integrated Care Settings
- Why and How Peer Services Improve Health and Wellness of People with Mental Illness
- Workforce Shortages and Impact on Providers and Staff Who are BIPOC or Caregivers
- Health Equity in Perinatal Health Office Hours
Other Resources
Take advantage of these external resources:
- Civil Rights and Social Justice COVID-19 Series (American Bar Association)
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Framework (Innovative Growth Solutions)
- Implicit Bias Module Series (Kiran Institute for the Study of Race)
- Racial Equity Toolkit (Government Alliance on Race and Equity)
- Racism and Anti-racism in America (University of Michigan
- Report Fact Sheets (Allies for Reaching Community Health Equity)
- The Interaction Institute (Interaction Institute for Social Change)
Need Support? Turn to Our Experts.
Our seasoned health equity experts are committed to promoting healing and resilience in your practice, for your staff and for the communities you serve. The National Council can provide direct training and technical assistance to providers and key stakeholders on topics such as:
- Organizational infrastructure and resilience support around climate, culture and hiring.
- Understanding systemic inequity and ways to integrate change into your organization.
- Trauma-informed Resilience-oriented (TIRO) leadership and supervision with a racial justice lens.
- Understanding and assessing social determinants of health.