July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize both the strengths and the mental health challenges experienced by minority communities across the country. Mental Health America’s 2026 theme, “More Good Days, Together,” reminds us that mental health support is most powerful when it is rooted in connection, trust, and community.
What Is Minority Mental Health Month?
Minority Mental Health Month was created to shine a light on the unique ways culture, ethnicity, race, identity, and lived experience can shape mental health. These factors influence how people experience stress, seek support, talk about emotional well-being, and decide what kinds of care feel safe, respectful, and effective.
Many underrepresented communities also face barriers that can make mental health care harder to access. These may include lack of insurance coverage, limited availability of providers, language barriers, stigma, transportation challenges, and a lack of representation or cultural understanding in care settings. When people cannot access care, or do not feel safe seeking it, the effects can ripple through individuals, families, and entire communities.
Why Minority Mental Health Matters
Barriers to care can have lasting effects. National data helps illustrate why awareness, access, and culturally responsive support are so important:
- In 2024, Black/African American adults were 36 percent less likely than U.S. adults overall to have received mental health treatment in the past year.
- Transgender adults are nearly 9 times more likely to attempt suicide at some point in their lifetime compared with the general population.
- In 2024, Asian American adults were 45 percent less likely than U.S. adults overall to have received mental health treatment in the past year.
A 2024 KFF survey also found that Asian and Black adults were more likely than White adults to report difficulty finding a provider who could understand their background and experiences. Hispanic adults were more likely than White adults to say they needed mental health care but did not know how to find a provider or felt afraid or embarrassed to seek care.
These experiences of fear, shame, and uncertainty are among the most common barriers to care. That is why it is so important to remind one another that asking for help is not a weakness, it is an act of strength, courage, and self-care.
How We Can Support Mental Health for All
One of the most meaningful things we can do is continue breaking down stigma and reducing barriers to care. On an individual level, that can begin with simple, compassionate actions: checking in on someone, listening without judgment, sharing resources, and reminding people they are not alone. Community and connection are powerful tools for healing.
Mental health providers and healthcare organizations also have an important responsibility to make care more accessible, welcoming, and respectful for diverse communities. That means recognizing cultural and linguistic differences, creating safe spaces for honest conversations, expanding access to resources, and advocating for care that meets people where they are.
This July, let’s honor Minority Mental Health Month by asking what a good day looks like for ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities, and by helping make those good days more possible for everyone.
If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health, help is available. Reach out today to make an appointment with a licensed professional or learn more about how Jane Pauley Community Health Center can support your family’s health.
