National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: From Stigma to Success

In May of 2024, West Health and Gallup published a study finding an overwhelming majority of Americans feel the nation’s healthcare system prioritizes physical health over mental health. Furthermore, 57% of respondents gave the US healthcare system a failing grade when it comes to mental health.

While the numbers are eye-opening, they should not be surprising.  The difficulty in adequately addressing these issues may be related to a lack of understanding in terms of what constitutes “mental health”. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mental health is defined as including, “our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.” This definition can sometimes be confused with behavioral health, a more narrowly defined relationship between our mental health and the behaviors which influence it.

Despite multiple studies showing that as many as 90% of Americans believe the country is in the midst of a mental health crisis, many still feel uncomfortable seeking help for their own mental well-being. The numbers paint an even more dire reality for people of color:

• 40% of Black women experience maternal mental health symptoms—nearly twice the rate of all women. (March of Dimes)
• Postpartum depression among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women is consistently higher (14%-29.7%) than the U.S. national average (11%). (CDC Foundation)
• Non-white individuals are less likely than their white peers to receive treatment for mental health conditions. (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Starting with a goal to “enhance public awareness of mental illness and mental illness among minorities,” National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month has been celebrated each July since 2008. While much work remains to achieve that goal, it’s clear that progress has been made, both by individual advocates and legislative bodies.

Setting the Gold Standard for Openness

During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, superstar gymnast, Simone Biles withdrew from competition to prioritize her own mental health. “I thought I could figure it out on my own, but that’s sometimes not the case. And that’s not something you should feel guilty or ashamed of. Once I got over that fact, I actually enjoyed it and looked forward to going to therapy. It’s a safe space,” said Biles. Indeed, the urge to hide mental health concerns is not uncommon, especially among women of color. In 2010, Dr. Woods-Giscombé, coined the term “superwoman schema” to describe a mental health condition that emphasizes caregiving over self-care among Black women. When considering just how difficult it was for Biles, the greatest gymnast of all-time, to address her own mental health challenges, it’s easy to see just how difficult it can be for the average person to come forward with their own concerns.

A 21st Century View of Mental Health

In the last two decades, a substantial amount of progress has been made in addressing the nation’s mental health crisis. In 2008 the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) made it a requirement for health plans to offer mental health benefits on par with those they offer for physical health. Only two years later, the Affordable Care Act made it illegal to deny coverage based on preexisting mental health conditions, opening the door to protection for millions of Americans.

As the nation’s largest single payor of mental health services, Medicaid has played a major role in delivering critical mental health services. Following passage of the Affordable Care Act, States that expanded Medicaid saw a 30% increase in the number of people receiving behavioral health treatment. Writing in Chief Healthcare Executive, ProgenyHealth CEO, Susan Torroella, MBA, wrote that the expansion of Medicaid postpartum benefits via the American Rescue Act represented “a major win for maternal advocates nationwide, extending access for over 1.5 million new mothers from just 60 days following childbirth to one full year.” The expansion included coverage for things like lactation support, postpartum checkups, and mental health screenings.

The Impact on Maternal and Infant Health

For those working to improve maternal and infant health, mental health has a particular significance. A 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that mental health disorders led to 23% of pregnancy-related deaths from 2017 to 2019, the leading cause of maternal death. As a nation, “our attention to mother’s mental health and the ongoing care of mothers following a delivery has been precipitously declining,” said ProgenyHealth Chief Medical Officer, Linda Genen, MD, MPH, in a March 2024 interview with FemTech World.

At ProgenyHealth, the mental well-being of the members we serve is a top priority during their pregnancy through delivery and one-year postpartum. It’s why our ongoing risk assessments, as well as follow-up communications are consistently aimed at detecting changes in both physical and mental health. Our Case Managers serve as trusted advisors and confidants for many members, opening the door to discussing mental health issues and building a sustained and engaged relationship. It’s this relationship that can help overcome stigma and achieve success in the mental health journey.