Clinical Corner

BIPOC Mental Health Month Wrap-Up

Person Icon Stephanie Weatherly, DNP, PMH RN-BC, FACHE
Person Icon Chief Clinical Officer
Person Icon July 27, 2021

I thought we would wrap up BIPOC Mental Health Month by focusing on how to be a good advocate. As persons working in healthcare, we often use the word ‘advocate.’ We use it when we are speaking with patients to empower them to speak up for their health care needs. We use it when we work with our patients on interpersonal relationships and how to make a space for their needs within them. What does it mean for us to be advocates as healthcare professionals?

Before we tackle what it means to be an advocate, let’s revisit why we need to be advocates:

“The American healthcare system has a long legacy of racism and discrimination, fuel for the disparity that is pervasive in this system. Navigating the healthcare system is daunting for most, but especially for BIPOC. Due to an array of access barriers, BIPOC not only receive less care than white people but also receive worse care. BIPOC are disproportionately misdiagnosed, under-diagnosed, and mistreated, quality of care directly correlates to worse health outcomes.”

Let that sink in - It is up to us, especially those who are privileged enough to have the system built around our skin color, to advocate for those the system was not built to care for.

Dr. Terri-Ann Bennett said it best, “Much like love, advocacy is an action word.” For us to advocate- it requires action on our part. Often, we want to help, and our hearts are in the right place, but we find we don’t know what steps to take. Here are steps TIA recommends to becoming an advocate for BIPOC:

  • Personalizing medicine, rather than generalizing.
  • Empowering patients through teaching and shared decision making.
  • Reminding patients of their rights.
  • Using communication styles that support understanding.
  • Ensuring care continues after appointments (e.g., follow-ups, lifestyle changes, medication, etc.).

Another way we can become better advocates is by educating ourselves. When we encounter bias within ourselves or our teams, we must challenge ourselves and each other. We can be continual learners- attend anything we can to become more educated about healthcare disparity and what can be done.

This week the OMH is offering a free webinar Trauma and COVID-19: Addressing Mental Health Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations. Click through if you would like to attend.

You can go to the Office of Minority Health (OHM) website and register for their weekly email updates to become more knowledgeable.

I am grateful we had this month to have these conversations, but please use it as a springboard for the coming months to continue on the journey to becoming a healthcare advocate for all.

Thank you for all you do to make a difference!

If you or someone you know is in need of a behavioral health placement, behavioral health referral, or experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please do not use this website. Instead, use these crisis resources to speak with someone now or access local support.