In the last six months, we have worked with both the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario (BPAO) and Black Mental Health Canada (BMHC) to raise awareness about the distinctive mental health needs of Black youth and Black Canadians.
In December 2023, we worked with CBC and the BMHC to provide commentary around Black Health Alliance (BHA)’s Pathways to Care research project: ‘Stuck in a cycle’: Providers say disjointed mental health care failing to meet needs of Black youth
We also dug deep into BMHC’s Self Care Through Hair program with the Globe and Mail. The program, which launched last summer, is the first of its kind to utilize barbers and hairdressers to help tackle the stigma and struggle of mental health in the Black community. Read the Globe article here: New program trains barbers as mental-health first responders for Black communities
To continue the very important dialogue of mental health support for Black youth, the BPAO recently hosted a hybrid mental health conference aimed at providing insights for healthcare providers looking to improve their support for, and deliver culturally safe and affirming care to, Black youth patients experiencing mental health issues. We worked with reporters, producers and writers from the Canadian Press, Toronto Star, Medical Post and CBC and to set up interviews with physicians/researchers from the BPAO, BHA, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to share their insights.
Read more below:
The Canadian Press (also on CP24, CTV, CBC, Global News, CityNews, the Globe and Mail, and more): Black youth face multiple barriers in accessing mental health care, experts say
The Toronto Star: Black youth face unique barriers to mental health care. Some doctors are trying to do something about it
Medical Post: Why effective suicide-risk assessment might look different for Black children and How to be more effective at helping youth prevent illicit drug overdose