CAPAC Members Observe National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
WASHINGTON, D.C.— July marks National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which brings awareness to the challenges racial and ethnic minorities, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs), face when seeking access to care and support for their mental health.
CAPAC Members released the following statements:
CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28):
“Mental health outcomes, just like those of physical health, are deeply impacted by social determinants and access to care. As a result, communities of color experience enormous and unique barriers to mental health care, including cultural stigma, racial bias, limited English proficiency, and disparities in access to treatment. The AANHPI community has especially faced a growing mental health crisis in recent years, including increasing deaths by suicide of AANHPI youth.
“To address this, I reintroduced theStop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act, which would help destigmatize mental health for AANHPIs by providing funding for culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach and education and by requiring research to include disaggregated data to better understand and confront the unique problems faced by all the diverse subgroups within our community. We must advance this bill and all other legislative efforts that address the inequities keeping AANHPIs and communities of color from receiving high-quality and affordable mental health services. So as CAPAC observes National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves to bridging these gaps and fighting for life-saving mental health care for communities of color nationwide.”
CAPAC First Vice-Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06):
“Mental health struggles have been a growing issue for decades, and during July, we recognize the many challenges that are unique to underserved and minority communities across the United States. One of the persistent barriers to care for the AANHPI community is finding clinicians who speak their language and understand their culture. That is why I introduced the bipartisan Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act, a bill that would increase language access for mental health services at community health centers. I remain committed to removing the stigmas associated with mental illness and eliminating disparities in mental health care.”
CAPAC Whip Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36):
“This Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we bring attention to the unique barriers that some minorities face when it comes to accessing quality mental health care. Just like regular checkups or emergency care, mental health care is critical. Nobody’s wellbeing should suffer due to the impacts of racism, discrimination against minority communities or the stigmatization of mental health care. I am committed to working alongside my colleagues to address care disparities for minority communities. Quality mental health care must be accessible to all Americans.”
Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17):
“We have a mental health crisis in this country. This Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, I stand with advocates fighting for the people who have had historically limited access to care—black, brown, AAPI, and Indigenous communities. Quality mental health care should be a non-negotiable right.”
Sen. Cory Booker (NJ):
"During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we must continue raising awareness and breaking down the barriers that minority communities face when seeking mental health services. Mental health is critical to one’s overall well-being, so we must ensure all communities have access to the comprehensive and affordable care they need. I will continue working with my colleagues to bridge the mental health access gap and tackle stigmas surrounding mental health.”
Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-31):
“Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to raise vital public awareness and encourage anyone in need to seek help. Because of stigma and long-standing health disparities, mental health remains underfunded and misunderstood, disproportionately affecting millions in communities of color. As our nation continues to confront a mental health crisis, it is absolutely critical that we educate all on this important issue and continue to reduce stigma. I am proud to join all of my CAPAC colleagues and the Tri-Caucus this July to elevate the topic of mental health, promote long-term solutions for America’s minority communities, and help save lives.”