At Center of Hope Family Services, we are focused on creating stronger families for stronger communities. Families of color today face daunting challenges. As a result, their mental wellness is strained, which is a significant barrier to their ability to thrive.
The research is clear. In the mental health area, African Americans are more likely to be untreated or undertreated compared to their peer groups. There is a stigma to seeking care with families and the community, distrust of the mental health system, and a lack of access to culturally competent mental health care.
Center of Hope has been working on these issues for years. For the last 3 years, we have partnered with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Governor's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives to reduce the stigma around receiving mental health services for communities of color.
In our most recent project, we have turned our attention to providing guidance to clinicians and other mental health professionals who endeavor to provide culturally responsive health services. We are building awareness, reducing stigma, demonstrating culturally relevant outreach and engagement, and ultimately facilitating a more culturally responsive system of care.
To do this, we surveyed 100 individuals of color to gain their thoughts building engagement and barriers to mental health care. We took their responses and triangulated them with the research on how to provide culturally competent health services. Based on this research, we produced a white paper and video that will be disseminated to mental health professionals.
Please read the full report here, and watch the promotion video created by Center of Hope's team to help spread the word through the State of Ohio and nationally.
Center of Hope thanks the following partners who have helped advance this work:
- Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
- Ohio Governor's Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives
- Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board
- Lucas County Juvenile Court
- Englewood SW
- Toledo Public Schools
