Mental Health America Shares BIPOC Mental Health month Toolkit

Since it is July 1, and as we continue to recognize the mental health needs related to recent events, let alone historic events, it seems almost perfectly timed for it to be what MHA is now referring to as BIPOC Mental Health Month.

I’ll let them explain the origin and the name change:

Formally recognized in May 2008, Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed each July and was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness in the United States.

Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.

People and language evolve, and Mental Health America (MHA) has chosen to remove the word “minority” from our toolkit and will be phasing it out on our materials. Instead, we are using a different designation – BIPOC – that we believe more fairly honors and distinguishes the experiences of Blacks, Indigenous People, and People of Color.

In an effort to continue the visionary work of Bebe Moore Campbell, each year MHA develops a public education campaign dedicated to addressing the needs of BIPOC.

You can learn about ways to get involved, and some things you can share on social media and download the toolkit here –  https://mhanational.org/BIPOC-mental-health-month