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Let's Strengthen Black Futures as We Celebrate Our History

The Austin Villager - 1/27/2017

It's Black History Month, a time when we honor the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans. Let's also use this time to talk about the future of the black community by taking a more assertive approach to our mental and behavioral health needs.

Some in the African-American community are reluctant to discuss depression, anxiety or seek treatment due to the stigma of mental illness. A common belief among African Americans is that mental illness should be supported within the family, church or community without seeking professional help.

The fact is, nearly 6.5 million Texans are diagnosed with a mental illness and would benefit from treatment, according to a U.S. Surgeon General report. African Americans are especially at risk. They are 20 percent more likely than whites to have serious psychological distress, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Common problems include depression and anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suicide (primarily among young African American men), schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Unfortunately, Texas ranks 49th in state mental health care services spending per capita, according to a report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The lack of resources and the belief that mental illness should be handled at home or church is troubling. Sometimes health care providers may only see patients when they have reached a crisis point.

Not long ago, I treated a middle-aged African-American woman struggling with depression, anxiety and alcoholism. She suffered in silence, afraid to reach out for years, due to fear of perceived shame and rejection. It wasn't until she tried to kill herself that she realized she had hit rock-bottom. Her family brought her to a Seton Behavioral Health facility for treatment. She admitted to feeling reluctant to discussing her problems. But after receiving compassionate care by our treatment team, and with the intervention of appropriate medication, therapy and support from her family, her entire outlook on life changed. She left our hospital no longer feeling hopeless, but optimistic for a bright future. She was grateful and admitted that if it hadn't been for our care, she wouldn't be alive today.

At Seton, and throughout Ascension, we believe that by working together we can create new pathways to care for patients, including the African-American community in Central Texas. For example, through our partnership with Dell Medical School, we are training the next generation of doctors to be careful listeners and be attuned to cultural differences among patients. With Dell Medical, we're investing in research to understand health disparities among our different populations. Our goal is to find ways to provide more resources and culturally appropriate care so we may improve the health of everyone in our community.

Within Seton we value racial and ethnic diversity among our providers and staff because we believe that this promotes and improves culturally competent care for our diverse patient population.

We also are partnering with our State Senators and Representatives to improve access to mental health services in the Central Texas area. And locally, Seton is a sponsor of the February 2017 17th Annual Central Texas African American Family Support Conference, hosted by Integral Care.

While we encourage our physicians to talk to patients about both their physical and mental health, , we urge you to talk with your loved ones to seek the help they need this month and all year round. Together, we can build a healthier, stronger Central Texas where receiving support for mental health problems is not a sign of weakness, but one of strength.