Considerations for Providing Mental Health Care to Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities

According to data from the American Psychiatric Association, people from racial/ethnic minority groups are 50% less likely to receive mental health care. There are many barriers to care at play including access to care such as lack of insurance or underinsurance, mental illness stigma, language barriers, etc. Inger Burnett-Zeigler, PhD, is interested in understanding the factors associated with mental health service utilization. Her research focuses on examining attitudes and beliefs about mental health, access to mental health treatment, engagement in mental health treatment, and barriers to mental health treatment among under resourced populations including racial/ethnic minorities and those with low income, limited education, and limited access to resources.