Podcast: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. In an effort to join the conversation about minority mental health, LMFT Connect founder, Rachel McCrickard sat down with Dr. Carla Smith, LMFT, LCSW and Adam Albrite, LMFT to discuss issues of mental health stigma and access to treatment among minority populations. In this rich discussion, Dr. Smith and Adam provide us with a wealth of information and insight relevant to our work as mental health clinicians.
What is National Minority Mental Health Month?
In May 2008, the US House of Representatives named July National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in recognition and honor of the work of Bebe Moore Campbell. Bebe Moore Campbell was an author, advocate, co-founder of NAMI Urban Los Angeles and national spokesperson who received NAMI’s 2003 Outstanding Media Award for Literature. During her lifetime, Ms. Campbell was an outspoken advocate for mental health education and support for minority populations. Unfortunately, Ms. Campbell’s work was cut short when she lost her battle with cancer in November 2006.
The resolution to establish National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was sponsored by Rep. Albert Wynn [D-MD] and cosponsored by a large bipartisan group to continue Ms. Campbell’s work of enhancing public awareness of mental health conditions among minority populations.
Links to topics mentioned in this podcast:
Social Justice Training Institute
Brandon Marshall’s Project 375
For further reading and research:
Publications:
- Ethnicity and Family Therapy, by Monica McGoldrick, Joe Giordano, & Nydia Garcia Preto
- Cultural Issues in Play Therapy, by Eliana Gil PhD
- Re-Visioning Family Therapy: Race, Culture and Gender in Clinical Practice, by Monica McGoldrick
- Working with Immigrant Families, by Adam Zagelbaum and Jon Carlson
- Handbook of LGBT-Affirmative Couple and Family Therapy, Bigner & Wetchler (Eds.)
- Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working with Gender-Variant people and their families, by Arlene Istar Lev
- Trans-Kin: A Guide for Family & Friends of Transgender People, Hubbard & Whitely (Eds.)
- Growing Up Trans PBS Documentary
Websites:
