Month Highlight

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month! 

This annual observance raises awareness about the unique challenges that affect the mental health of racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations.  

This year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is focusing on improving mental health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN communities through its 2024 theme, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. This theme calls on each of us to better understand how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances (known as social determinants of health, or “SDOH”) of racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN populations impact their mental health.  

About half of all people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental disorder at some point in their lifetime, but certain SDOH factors, like experiencing trauma, lacking support systems, and having limited access to health care, can leave racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN people at increased risk for many preventable mental health problems.  

Visit the National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2024 website to find resources, social media messages, graphics, and information on how to Be the Source for Better Health.

If you or someone you know needs help with their mental health, contact 988lifeline.org Call, text, or chat 24/7, for free and confidential support for people in distress or if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.