July 31st, marks the end of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Any person of any race, culture, gender, identity, etc. can experience mental health challenges throughout their life. Despite this, minorities oftentimes encounter difficulty in receiving treatment. At Apportis, we ensure that everyone is treated equally as our number one goal is to support anyone in need of help.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there was an estimated 1.4 million suicide attempts in America in 2018, and 48,344 of those resulted in fatality. The age-adjusted suicide rate for minorities including American Indians, Alaska Natives, African Americans, and Asians/Pacific Islanders in the United States in 2018 was 28.39 individuals for every 100,000 people. Additionally, a 2017 CDC study provided that suicide was the second leading cause of death for African Americans, ages 15 to 24.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is dedicated to creating awareness and appreciation for the mental health campaign “Strength Over Silence.” They have an ongoing docuseries comprised of the stories of those who have fought against and recovered from mental health challenges with an emphasis on community and culture. Apportis encourages you to view their docuseries to educate yourself on the importance of people’s backgrounds within the realm of mental health.

Unintended negative mental health disparities have become more prevalent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that it is now even more important than it ever has been to address treatment options for physical and mental health management. Our community must engage in programs and practices that advocate for racial and minority groups in their home, work, and social environments. According to the CDC, some factors that contribute to an increased risk of contracting illnesses such as the Coronavirus for racial and ethnic minority groups include discrimination, limited healthcare access and utilization, occupation disparities, education/income/wealth gaps, and housing shortcomings. Visit the CDC website for further explanation into these factors.

The United States is actively working to support the mental health needs of its citizens, especially during the challenging times that COVID-19 has brought upon the nation (the national suicide rates are now at the highest point since World War II). The Federal Communications Commission approved “988” to be the official National Suicide Hotline number. The number becomes active on July 16, 2022. Until then, the current hotline number is 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).

What Can You Do?
Contact us at Apportis about our tele-behavioral and case management platform, watch the National Alliance on Mental Illness “Strength Over Silence” docuseries, strive to be inclusive and appreciative towards racial and minority groups, share your support on social media, and so much more!