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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, the month of July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a month-long initiative to bring awareness to the unique mental health struggles of all racial and ethnic minorities and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations across the country; and
WHEREAS, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was brought before Congress, to be formally recognized on June 2, 2008, in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell with the goal of bringing forth solutions to the unique mental health struggles of racial and ethnic minorities; and
WHEREAS, mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and effects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices; and
WHEREAS, racial and ethnic minority populations experience numerous mental health disparities including higher rates of attempted suicide in adolescents and lower treatment rates for mental disorders like depression in adults; and
WHEREAS, limited access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services; and stigma surrounding mental health care and social determinates of health are factors that can lead to poor mental health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority; and
WHEREAS, in Mental Health America’s 2022 state ranking report, Illinois ranked 9th overall, which indicates lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care; and
WHEREAS, despite Illinois’s high overall ranking, according to an article published in BMC Public Health, many minority groups in Illinois have disproportionate differences in access to health care which affects their health-related quality of life; and
WHEREAS, despite experiencing mental health issues at a similar rate to white Americans, only about 1 in 3 Black and Hispanic Americans receive mental health care. In 2022, among adults with any mental illness, Hispanic (40%), Black (38%), and Asian (36%) adults were less likely than White adults (56%) to receive mental health services; and
WHEREAS, provider bias is a cause of mental health disparities among minorities, documented by a 2019 American Psychological Association report stating that 83% of psychologists are white while only 17% are minorities, and a study published by the American Psychological Association found that while most psychologists received cultural training only 37% went through a program that allowed them to engage with other cultures; and
WHEREAS, in the same study, when asked, participants expressed that clinical experiences were more important than training in terms of creating culturally competent psychologists; and
WHEREAS, this year’s National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month theme is, “Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections” calls on each of us to better understand how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances of racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations impact their mental health; and
WHEREAS, although the mental health of individuals from different generations may be equally affected by racism and discrimination, they may face unique mental health challenges based on their age. Each age group also has their own unique wisdom to share when it comes to taking care of their own mental health and advocating for mental wellness in their communities; and
WHEREAS, this Honorable Body wishes to raise awareness to the issues presented herein by promoting National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in Cook County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the more than 5.2 million residents of Cook County, do hereby take this opportunity to acknowledge National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in conjunction with National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month that the month of July be hereby declared as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in the County of Cook; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body in recognition of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
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