Achieving Equity in Child and Adolescent Mental Health by Addressing Racism Through Prevention Science

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Summary:  This article makes recommendations about how to adopt an equity-explicit, antiracist lens that attends to the effects of structural racism which can strengthen the impact of prevention efforts by more effectively improving child and family health, reducing access barriers, and effecting multigenerational change for BIPOC families experiencing various levels of adversity.

 

Application: This is important reading for child welfare and mental health professionals and leaders. Key things that can be done:

  • Explicitly incorporate an understanding of structural racism within prevention science methods and theory (e.g., risk and resilience frameworks)
  • Establishing and fostering truly equitable community partnerships
  • Diversifying the field through mentorship of BIPOC scholars and clinicians focused on child and family well-being
  • Assembling diverse transdisciplinary research teams to address child health inequities in a family-centered manner
  • Attending to intersectionality
  • Using implementation science to promote access and sustainability for all families

 

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