g )
Action Area : People of Color
Even though Blacks / African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be in income groups that may be heavier users of behavioral health services , they , in actuality , receive less mental health care , suggesting that cultural or other factors present barriers and reduce access to care . 38
Lower income levels are highly correlated with the need for behavioral health services in the general population . In Polk County , ethnic minority groups have notably lower median household income levels than whites . However , according to some interviewed , cultural barriers – culturally-based stigma , language issues , and others – in Black / African American and Hispanic communities discourage seeking care for behavioral health issues .
Respondents suggest a number of contributing factors and associated impacts . Noting the general capacity challenges facing the county , some respondents stated that there is a particularly large gap of providers ( e . g ., counselors ) who are people of color and / or possess the language skills needed to effectively care for people who are members of a racial minority group . In addition , people of color living in more rural sections of Polk County face compounded challenges related to transportation and being able to access care . Some research respondent underscored the importance of addressing the needs of lower incomes households ( in general ) and racial and ethnic minority communities ( specifically ) since there may be opportunities to break cycles of generational poverty .
• “ In many brown and black communities , mental health counseling is viewed as bad .”
• “ Stigma and pride are more so with black community due to the historical aspect , since many still are affected by the impact of ‘ Jim Crow ’ and segregation . In my view , minimal work has been done on how to deal with this issue and pursue real healing . How do you get to heal if you ' re constantly traumatized , especially if men or women are in abusive relationships ?
There is also a lack of trust of government agencies ; many community members feel that they ' ve been traumatized and at times ignored – this is very real to them . The Tuskegee experiment is only 49 years old , and so many other things have happened since then and other traumas . You can ’ t ignore the mental health cost – you may have a breakdown , or it [ the impact of system racism and the related behavioral health impact ] might hit your child ?”
• “ People that we serve often get a ride here . Many of my clients [ people of color and otherwise ] travel 20 to 30 miles , and they don ’ t have a car ! Once they get here , we do our best to build a trusted relationship with them . If there are cultural issues , we always try to connect each client with someone [ a counselor ] who has a similar experience – culturally , racially , and otherwise . It works pretty well !”
Examples of Potential Interventions for Stage 3
• Find trusted leaders in Black and Brown communities to improve communications and trust .
• Encourage students to further education and find employment in behavioral health fields .
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