NewscastMedia Houston news -- Thursday July 1, is the beginning of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which officially honors NAMI national spokesperson Bebe Moore Campbell, one of the leading Black writers of the 20th century.
NAMI Executive Director Michael Fitzpatrick said, "Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is a time for education, support and advocacy." Fitzpatrick also said, "One in four Americans experience mental health problems in any given year. Diverse communities are no exceptions."
The Surgeon General has warned that minorities
- are less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for mental illness.
- have less availability and access to mental health services.
- often receive poorer quality health care.
- are underrepresented in mental health research.
NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness, and has over 1,100 state and local affiliates that engage in research, education, support and advocacy.
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