July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness of the unique mental health and substance use challenges and the barriers to care faced by Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities. Olga Acosta Price, PhD, a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Research Advisor, shares why addressing these disparities is crucial and how her work is making a difference.
Dr. Price’s journey into mental health advocacy stems from her experiences growing up in a small-town school system in upstate New York as a daughter of Dominican immigrants. Despite facing adversity and recognizing the impact of supportive adults outside her family, she pursued her dreams.
Dr. Price recalls, “There were many people in my life that boosted my confidence and helped me on the course as a future clinical psychologist and academic. Yet, those early experiences were not without disappointment, isolation and discrimination — like the time my guidance counselor blatantly discouraged me from applying to my top-choice college, because he didn’t believe I had what it took to get in. Although I applied anyway — and was accepted, attended and graduated from that top school — that experience left an indelible mark on my psyche that emerged as imposter syndrome, nagging doubt and insecurity about my abilities throughout my adult life. Finding community in places where I felt seen, heard, valued and celebrated for my unique perspective encouraged and helped me persevere, even when the cards were stacked against me.”
Dr. Price’s early experiences sparked a passion for promoting mental health in school and community settings, which she recognizes as pivotal environments for youth development. This, in turn, led her to emphasize the impact of social, environmental and economic factors on mental health. Today, she’s on the faculty at The George Washington University, serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Prevention and Community Health and as a Director of the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools within the Milken Institute School of Public Health.
While schools play an important role in shaping the social and emotional wellbeing of students, Dr. Price notes that they cannot single-handedly address the multitude of mental health needs among students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. Schools, families and communities need to collaborate to create supportive environments that promote mental wellbeing.
“Schools are places where young minds are taught new ideas and skills to help them navigate a complex and ever-changing world. But the barriers to learning, especially for students from poor and under-resourced communities, can create lifelong exclusion from opportunities for these vulnerable groups,” she says.
Dr. Price acknowledges the evidence base, which shows a powerful association between positive school experiences and student success and wellbeing, while also reminding us that the public education system doesn’t always have the necessary resources, bandwidth and expertise to address an entire school community’s mental health needs. To address these resource constraints, she emphasizes the importance of creating school, family and community partnerships in trusted school settings.
Minority communities face disproportionate mental health challenges because of socioeconomic factors and cultural influences. For example, the increasing rates of anxiety and depression for youth of all backgrounds have sparked a nationwide response. However, insufficient investment in prevention and support programs, inadequate systems to identify problems early, limited access to treatment, and lower-quality care for youth of color have led to significant and lasting harm. Dr. Price stresses the need for culturally responsive interventions and community-focused approaches. This includes tackling structural inequities through school mental health systems and community partnerships.
“There is an abundance of talent and expertise throughout our communities that we do not take advantage of and that could improve how services are experienced.”
Recognizing that one of the major obstacles to seeking mental health care is cultural stigma surrounding mental health challenges, MHFA recently adapted its Adult, Youth and teen MHFA courses to specific communities, such as teen MHFA for Spanish-speaking communities. These courses retain the integrity of the original content while addressing the unique needs and cultural nuances of each community. The goal is not just to provide mental health education but to do so in a way that is respectful and inclusive of diverse backgrounds. With these courses, individuals within these communities have access to resources that not only acknowledge but also understand and address the cultural factors that may influence perceptions around mental health.
Dr. Price has been instrumental in facilitating implementation of culturally responsive, trauma-informed, evidence-based tiered interventions through approaches like the DC School Behavioral Health Community of Practice. This initiative promotes collaboration among mental health providers, educators, and families to improve support systems for students. Key elements of its success include prioritizing relationships, family engagement and a continuum of care that spans from prevention to intervention.
Looking ahead, Dr. Price aims to elevate the voices of marginalized communities in shaping mental health policies and services. “Nothing about us, without us, is for us” resonates deeply with me and reminds me of our responsibility to make space for youth and families to work alongside us to identify and diagnose persistent problems, co-create solutions, implement strategies, monitor progress and communicate lessons learned,” she says. “There is an abundance of talent and expertise throughout our communities that we do not take advantage of and that could improve how services are experienced to maximize their impact.”
Dr. Price’s recommendations emphasize investing in prevention and early intervention programs, particularly for BIPOC communities.
By providing education that respects and understands cultural nuances, we empower individuals to recognize and respond to mental health challenges within their communities. These courses not only contribute to the destigmatization of mental health, but also pave the way for a more compassionate and culturally aware society where everyone feels seen, heard and supported in their mental health journey.
Mental Health First Aiders can search for available courses in their preferred language through the Mental Health First Aid Find a Course tool. This tool can also be used to find and connect with MHFA Instructors certified in community-specific courses of interest. If there’s nothing available, First Aiders can consider becoming a MHFA Instructor to lead the way and bring courses to their community.
