Mental Health Fact of The Week: Why Cultural Competence in Mental Health Care Is More Than a Buzzword
🗣️ July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to spotlight the unique mental health challenges faced by BIPOC communities and advocate for more culturally competent care.
Cultural Competence Is More Than a Buzzword
Without cultural competence, care becomes unsafe, even when it’s well-intentioned.
A 2021 report from the American Psychological Association found that ethnically minoritized clients felt their mental health provider truly understood their cultural background. When providers lack cultural awareness or dismiss lived experiences of racism, it can erode trust and reduce engagement with care.
True cultural competence isn’t about memorizing cultural traits; it’s about practicing cultural humility, asking better questions, and creating a space where people feel seen, not stereotyped.
Without cultural competence, care becomes unsafe, even when it’s well-intentioned.
A 2021 report from the American Psychological Association found that ethnically minoritized clients felt their mental health provider truly understood their cultural background. When providers lack cultural awareness or dismiss lived experiences of racism, it can erode trust and reduce engagement with care.
True cultural competence isn’t about memorizing cultural traits; it’s about practicing cultural humility, asking better questions, and creating a space where people feel seen, not stereotyped.
Why It Matters
When people from marginalized communities don’t feel emotionally safe with their providers, they’re less likely to:
-
🧠 Seek help
-
💬 Stay in treatment
-
❤️ Benefit from care
That’s not a small gap; it’s a systemic failure.
Cultural competence, when done well, doesn’t just improve care; it closes that gap by honoring the whole person:
-
Their history
-
Their identity
-
Their lived experience and the unique challenges they’ve faced
Everyone deserves access to safe, respectful, and affirming mental health care.
When people from marginalized communities don’t feel emotionally safe with their providers, they’re less likely to:
-
🧠 Seek help
-
💬 Stay in treatment
-
❤️ Benefit from care
That’s not a small gap; it’s a systemic failure.
Cultural competence, when done well, doesn’t just improve care; it closes that gap by honoring the whole person:
-
Their history
-
Their identity
-
Their lived experience and the unique challenges they’ve faced
Everyone deserves access to safe, respectful, and affirming mental health care.
Thank you for stopping by! Until next time, remember that you are not alone in your feelings or experiences. I've got your back! For more updates, click here.
📚 For more information on this week's fact, visit the link below:
1). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10688309/
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Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice. If you are struggling, seeking help from a licensed mental health professional who can offer personalized guidance and support is important.
These are good tips. I usually do two of the three suggested. I'll have to incorporate feeling something comforting. Thanks for sharing! 💚
ReplyDeleteHi Netert! As always, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, and I’m glad it was helpful for you!
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