Justice Library

Adapting and Innovating to Promote Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being of Young People of Color: COVID-19 and Beyond

Publication Date: Sep 15 2020

The Steve Fund

The Task Force’s work represents the first time leaders from across sectors have come together to consider the mental health status and needs of young Americans of color, a population that is the driving force of our nation’s future economic and social well-being. 

Challenges and Opportunities to Meet the Mental Health Needs of Underserved and Disenfranchised Populations in the United States

Publication Date: Jan 24 2020

The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry

This article investigates the gap in access to and quality of mental health care in the United States. This work first discusses how minority populations are most affected by the treatment gap. It summarizes recent literature on the topic for better understanding the needs of psychiatrically underserved and disenfranchised populations and the causes of mental health disparities. It reviews some of the barriers to behavioral health care, including lack of insurance coverage, lack of community-based interventions, unequal access to evidence-based practices, stigma, mental health workforce shortages, and geographical maldistribution of providers. Second, it reviews opportunities to address these disparities. The article provides examples of effective interventions that researchers worldwide have already implemented to address the gap of mental health services within the collaborative care model and global mental health initiatives. Telepsychiatry and improvements in training of the mental health workforce are also listed as useful implementations to overcome the treatment gap for patients seeking mental health care.

Older Adults Living with Serious Mental Illness: The State of the Behavioral Health Workforce

Publication Date: Jan 01 2019

SAMHSA

This brief provides an overview of workforce issues to consider when addressing the needs of older adults living with serious mental illness (SMI). Information includes demographics; challenges faced by a provider workforce, and ideas for strengthening the geriatric workforce to address SMI.