COVID-19's Adverse Impact on Mental Health Access for People of Color

The incidence of mental health and substance use problems has increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 crisis. The situation is even worse for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) populations, which have long experienced disparities in access to care.

July marks BIPOC Mental Health Awareness month (formerly known as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month), which highlights the disparate impacts of mental illness, substance use, and behavioral health care on communities of color. BIPOC are less likely to access the care they need compared to their white counterparts and are more likely to be uninsured or experience stigma related to mental illness. According to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 67% of Latino and 69% of Black Americans did not receive treatment for mental illness in 2018 compared to 56.7% of the general population.

Join BPC on July 21 as we discuss how COVID-19 exacerbated the adverse impact of behavioral health care access for special populations, specifically BIPOC, and how integrating behavioral health services with primary care can benefit these groups.