On May 23, 2018, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) filed legislation (S.2934) to hire more mental health professionals in schools across the country. The move was prompted not only by school shootings but a 2016 report from the Florida Association of School Psychologists that found Florida has only one school psychologist for every 1,983 students. Compared to the nationally recommended ratio of between 500 and 700 students per psychologist, the data shows Florida has only one-fourth the number of school psychologists it needs to properly care for its students. That lack of available mental health professionals in Florida’s schools is one of the reasons why only a small percentage of children in Florida who need mental health services receive them.

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Derek J. Wilson, Ph.D.
Prairie View A&M University

“I’m not crazy” is probably the most common phrase I’ve heard from members of the Black community when the issue of mental health care is raised. “Crazy” is shameful, a reason to be ostracized.

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Victoria Huynh
Center for Pan Asian Community Services

As a person who works in the limited English proficient, immigrant, and refugee communities, CLAS is a matter of whether someone will gain access to essential health services or not.

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Allegra Balmadier
2U Inc.

If mental health care resources are not sufficient for the general population, how can underserved groups address their psychiatric needs? What’s the role of Family Nurse Practitioners?

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Care for Your Mind

Care for Your Mind is extending its coverage of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (NMMHAM) into August, recognizing that the issues of stigma and access to care aren’t limited to July. Read about how mental health organizations have been contributing to NMMHAM this year.

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Looking for the “Tweeting for Minority Mental Health” post? Click here.

By Kamiesha Cooper

My first experience with depression was when I was 5 years old, growing up in Alabama.

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Noriel Lim, Ph.D.
Emory University

Care for Your Mind asked Dr. Lim for his insights on cultural competence, why it matters, and how to practice it.

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Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Mental Health

On Wednesday, July 18, at 2pm ET, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health is hosting a Twitter chat in conjunction with National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. What kinds of disparities exist? Consider these statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):

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