How Did National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Begin?

From the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health:

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. 

About half of all people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental disorder at some point in their lifetime, but certain Social Determinants Of Health 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.  

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN populations experience numerous mental health disparities including higher rates of attempted suicide in adolescents and lower treatment rates for mental disorders like depression in adults.  

But how did National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month begin? It was the brainchild of author, Bebe Moore Campbell.

From NAMI California:

Bebe Moore Campbell was an author, advocate, co-founder of NAMI Urban Los Angeles and national spokesperson, who worked tirelessly to advocate for mental health education and eliminate stigma among diverse communities, until she passed away in 2006.

In 2005, inspired by Campbell’s charge to end stigma and provide mental health information, longtime friend Linda Wharton-Boyd suggested dedicating a month to the effort. The duo got to work, outlining the concept of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and what it would entail. After Campbell’s passing, Wharton-Boyd, friends, family and allied advocates reignited their cause.

In 2008, July was designated as the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by the U.S. House of Representatives. There have been recent attempts to change the month’s name, but NAMI continues to recognize the importance of honoring Bebe Moore Campbell’s incredible legacy and groundbreaking work.