Summary: Many people from minority groups struggle to access mental health services due to costs, inadequate insurance coverage, stigma, and being unable to find providers of the same race or ethnicity. This resource provides steps that we can take to promote health equity.
Application: This resource provides valuable action items for many systems leaders. States can take the following steps to promote equity:
- Expand community-based mental health care, including culturally responsive mental health services at low or no cost for youth and adults.
- Evaluate policies for their differential impact on social determinants of health. When needed, modify these policies or create new policies that ensure equitable access to resources for all people.
- Evaluate policies for their potential to reinforce mental health stigma and revise or remove stigmatizing policies.
- Encourage community and faith-based leaders to discuss mental health issues to help reduce stigma.
- Make efforts to ensure decision-makers reflect the races and ethnicities of the populations they serve.
