Did you know that July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month? This observance is meant to bring awareness to the various mental health challenges that minority groups face across the United States.
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was started by Bebe Moore Campbell, cofounder of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), and was created to help end the stigma of mental health in traditionally underserved communities. With a mission to create more equitable mental health services for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), Campbell alongside her colleague Wharton Boyd sought to revolutionize the mental health landscape for these communities. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was officially recognized as a national month of observance in 2006 and from that time has grown into a committed movement of upliftment for historically underrepresented communities.
In solidarity with all those across the nation who are advocating for the mental health needs of communities of color, we at the Department of Mental Health Services (DMHS) would like to reaffirm our commitment to providing services that respect and celebrate all aspects of diversity. We acknowledge that certain communities may face increased barriers to care and may experience an increase in stigma-related aversion to mental health services. At DMHS we are committed to providing culturally competent services that seek to decrease these barriers and ensure access to mental health services for all IU School of Medicine students, residents and fellows.
If you are interested in learning more about National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month or want to learn about ways to get involved in the conversation, then we encourage you to check out the following links below:
Minority Health – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Learn more about how the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health is seeking to advance mental health for racial and ethnic minority communities.
Prioritizing Minority Mental Health – CDC
Provides information about how the CDC is currently seeking to improve mental health equity at the individual, community and organizational levels.
Learn how to get connected and get involved with the current NAMI social media movement to show support for diversity in the mental health space.
Need to talk?
For trainees
The Department of Mental Health Services is available to provide mental health and personal counseling services to all students, residents and fellows. There are a few ways to access services:
- To request an appointment with the Department of Mental Health Services, send a secure message via the online portal at indianamedportal.pointnclick.com or call 317-278-2383 during normal business hours (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
- For urgent matters, call 317-278-HELP (4357), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A licensed clinical health specialist will provide an assessment and help direct you to appropriate treatment options based on the situation. You may also call on behalf of a trainee if you are a family member, friend, or colleague concerned about their well-being. You may call anonymously if desired.
For IU Health employees
- Indiana University Health Physicians Employee Assistance Program
- IU Health Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Services; call 317-962-8611
- National Crisis Hotline; call or text 988 (available 24/7)
For IU Employees
The IU Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides 24/7/365 access to licensed mental health counselors via SupportLinc or 888-881- LINC (5462) for IU School of Medicine team members and their households.
Access to Anthem LiveHealth Online is included with your IU-sponsored medical coverage. This service allows you to engage with a mental health provider via telehealth using your IU insurance provider.
