Rev. Dr. Judith Brown Moore & Min. Tawanda Rodriguez

REIMAGINING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK GIRLS

Rev. Dr. Judith Campbell Moore

Founder & CEO, Sisters Saving Ourselves Now/ Pittsburgh-Western PA BWR Affiliate

&

Minister Tawanda Rodriguez

Program Coordinator, Sisters Saving Ourselves Now

 

Mental health in Black communities is highly influenced by racism, discrimination and structural inequities, as well as trauma and violence.   These factors create a different reality for Black people, especially Black women and girls in comparison to the experience of their White counterparts.  According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, Black adults in the United States are more likely than their White counterparts to report persistent symptoms of emotional distress (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). In general, one in three Black people will receive mental health care over the course of their life (National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d.). Also, Black adults are less likely to receive guideline-consistent care, are less frequently included in medical research and are more likely to use emergency rooms than primary care facilities. 

 The level of the mental health crisis that is occurring in Black communities is both alarming and heartbreaking. Prior to the pandemic, there were frequent crises that occurred in Black communities, mostly due to unaddressed and prolonged mental illnesses. Even in the aftermath of the pandemic, Black people, women and girls in particular, lack the mental health care they need. Mental health disparities are stark for Black girls who suffer from higher rates of poverty, birth defects and school arrests. The need for emotional wellness as Black girls navigate through these challenges should be prioritized. According to National Black Women’s Justice Institute, between 1991 and 2017, suicide attempts by Black youth increased, while suicide attempts among youth across other race and ethnicities decreased (National Black Women's Justice Institute, 2022). Shockingly, suicide death rates for Black teenage girls increased by 182 percent during this time period.  

 

Mental Health Collaborative

Correcting the system requires removing a cultural barrier. Clients are more likely to readily identify with someone of their race and gender who understands their cultural norms. Therefore, we propose an action-oriented Mental Health Collaborative to provide access, solutions, and resources to improve the delivery of mental health services to Black Women and girls. 

The Collaborative would be composed of mental health professionals, major healthcare providers and insurers, community-based healthcare centers, and a range of healthcare professionals who are committed to servicing the community in ways that are accessible and affordable. This practice of care would take into consideration the many stressors and traumas experienced by this demographic in order to truly address their needs.    

In addition to providing mental health services, the Collaborative would provide educational resources on different types of mental illnesses and effective treatments.  Specifically, as part of the Collaborative, our Mental Health Ambassador Program will train Black women on how to access services. These resources and training will be helpful to counter misdiagnoses and stigmas about mental health held in the Black community.  If we are to expect Black people to be effective advocates for their health and wellbeing, we must give them the tools to do so.  

We have already begun the work in Pennsylvania where we have initiated the following training programs: PA Community Health Worker, Peer to Peer Specialist, Mental Health First Aiders and Self-Development courses.  Additionally, we seek to disseminate educational resources to medical professionals so they can make internal and external changes to their health care facilities and application of programs concerning the diagnostic treatment of Black women and their families. 

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Black Women and Girls

Studies show astonishingly high levels of trauma exposure for Black girls (Smith Evans, et al., 2014).  Approximately one third of the Black young women have witnessed someone being violently assaulted or killed, and nearly half lost someone close to them through violence or sudden death. Nearly 38 percent of girls in this group display signs of PTSD, double the rate of military members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (Rand, 2023).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a talk-therapy that aims to break the cycle of self-reinforcing negative thoughts. With proven results amongst women of color (Williams et al., 2016), CBT helps to reduce rates of depression by focusing on the present, rather than trying to uncover the causes of deep-seated neuroses. We believe implementing CBT in a school-based setting will have positive effects for Black school-aged students, especially girls who can face hardship not only in their daily lives but also by the realities of American society.

It is critical that we take a more innovative approach to mental health, especially for Black women and girls. Through a full-circle approach to health and wellness, like the Mental Health Collaborative and restorative therapy practices, such as CBT, we can begin to provide the type of therapeutic health resources to heal Black women and girls. 

 

References

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Black/African American. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Black-African-American/ 

National Black Women’s Justice Institute. (2022, May 9). The Case for Focusing on Black Girls’ Mental Health. NBWJI.org. https://www.nbwji.org/post/the-case-for-focusing-on-black-girls-mental-health  

Rand, S. (2023, June 8). University of Chicago Education Lab Study Finds School-based Counseling Program Reduces PTSD Symptoms Among Adolescent Girls. https://harris.uchicago.edu/news-events/news/university-chicago-education-lab-study-finds-school-based-counseling-program 

Smith-Evans, L., George, J., Goss Graves, F., Kaufmann, L. S., & Frohlich, L. (2014). Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call for Action for Educational Equity. Available at SSRN 4705316.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Mental and Behavioral Health - African Americans. Office of Minority Health. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mental-and-behavioral-health-african-americans  

Williams, M. T., Chapman, L. K., Buckner, E. V., & Durrett, E. L. (2016). Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. Handbook of Mental Health in African American Youth, 63-77.