African-Americans need better access to mental health facilities and practitioners who understand the black experience
According to the 2019 State of Mental Health in America Report published by Mental Health America, Pennsylvania has a relatively low prevalence of mental illness and a relatively high rate of access to care for adults, earning it a rank of 14 among the 50 states on a variety of mental-health criteria.
This is encouraging, but does not apply to all Pennsylvanians — or Americans — equally. The picture in the black community is not so promising.
I’ve been fortunate and able to thrive with symptoms related to anxiety and depression since I was a teenager. But while working as a community-based mental health therapist, I’ve seen how traditional methods of supporting black people in our neighborhoods have been reactive and lacking in cultural sensitivity.