Mindful Monday: Minority Mental Health Month

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- At the start of every week, our team talks with local experts to unpack a wide range of nationwide health, safety, and wellness topics in the unique context of the Coulee Region.

Our goal is to give viewers information they can actually use -- because in a complex and unpredictable world, you never know what you might need to know.

July is National Minority Mental Health Month. Many people in the BIPOC community face obstacles in seeking mental health resources.

This week, we spoke with Erin Hardy, a behavioral health consultant with Gundersen Health. She joined us to discuss Minority Mental Health month and the importance of accessible resources.

According to the FDA, in 2020, less than one in every two African-American adults got care for mental health. Statistics show that minorities are less likely to have mental health awareness and seek potential resources. Area access, affordability, racial trauma, and many other factors play into this, says Hardy.

She emphasizes the importance of making sure that providers are culturally competent and continue training so that they are understanding of others regardless of background. Accessibility tools like interpreters and resources in multiple languages are important as well for universal understanding.

If you or a loved one is having a mental health crisis, please reach out to a suitable resource.

• 24/7 suicide and crisis hotline:
  • Call/text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org
    
    
• communitylink:
  • Visit communitylink.findhelp.com

• Great Rivers 211:
  • Call 211 or visit 211wisconsin.communityos.org
    
    
• Samhsa:
  • Call 877-626-4727 or visit samhsa.gov

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