Articles

Every July, the United States observes National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month to bring attention to the mental health needs of racial and ethnic minority communities. At Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC), we understand that addressing these needs requires more than just awareness. It requires programs that are grounded in equality, cultural understanding, and access. 

We have spent decades building services that meet people where they are—through integrated youth care, chronic pain management, and comprehensive behavioral health treatment—delivered in a way that respects identity, language, and lived experience. 

The Story of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 

This national observance was established in 2008 in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, a best-selling author and dedicated mental health advocate. She believed that stigma should never stand in the way of healing, especially in communities where silence and fear had long taken the place of support.

Campbell co-founded NAMI-Inglewood to offer a safe and culturally informed space for Black individuals to openly discuss mental health. Her work lives on today through this annual campaign and in the mission of those continuing the fight for equality.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the purpose of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is “to amplify the voices of historically underrepresented communities and center their unique experiences.”  

At TTC, this belief is reflected in everything we do.

Ongoing Barriers Minority Communities Face

The truth is that mental health care remains out of reach for too many people of color. The barriers are real and varied. 

In many communities, mental illness is still viewed with deep stigma. People hesitate to speak up out of fear that they will be judged or dismissed. That silence can delay diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

According to the Office of Minority Health, others face systemic barriers. Hence, fewer than half of African American adults received mental health care in 2020, and Asian Americans were 60 percent less likely to seek treatment than non-Hispanic white individuals in 2018. Moreover, financial limitations, lack of insurance, and a shortage of culturally competent providers all contribute to the gap.

Representation matters, too. When care is delivered by professionals unfamiliar with a patient’s cultural background, miscommunication and misdiagnosis are more likely. That disconnect erodes trust.

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and Language Barriers

Language barriers can also block access. Without the ability to describe symptoms clearly—or the confidence that they will be understood—patients may give up before they begin.

All of this is compounded by structural racism, trauma, and mistrust of the healthcare system, built on generations of exclusion and unequal treatment.

These are not abstract issues. They are lived realities. Indeed, at TTC, we take these realities seriously—and we act on them.

How TTC Supports Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

At Tarzana Treatment Centers, we address these disparities not only in July, but every day of the year. We design our programs to be inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of the people we serve.

Here is how we put this commitment into practice:

• Culturally Competent Training 
  Our staff receives training that enhances cultural understanding and fosters effective communication across diverse backgrounds. 

• Community Partnerships and Outreach 
  We collaborate with trusted voices and organizations in minority communities. Hence, such efforts foster connections and reduce stigma. 

• Diverse Staffing and Multilingual Services 
  Patients can receive care from professionals who speak their language and reflect their lived experience. 

• Integrated, Whole-Person Care 
  We treat mental health, substance use, and physical health thoroughly. Additionally, our services also address chronic pain, which disproportionately affects underserved and, thus, minority populations. 

• Telehealth Access 
  Our virtual options make it easier for individuals and families to receive care, regardless of transportation or location barriers. 

As we state clearly on our home page, “Tarzana Treatment Centers provides culturally competent integrated behavioral health care services designed to meet the needs of underserved populations.”

Why National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Matters

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is more than a calendar observance. It is a call to action. Moreover, a reminder that we need to listen to those who have been historically excluded. Indeed, the delivery of care needs to reflect the patient populations. 

At TTC, we believe mental health care must be fair, compassionate, and tailored to the individual. We know that equality is not a trend—it is a necessity.

Everyone deserves access to healing. Not just in July. Always.