Mental Health Matters
Donation protected
I am Imamu Baraka, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, who specializes in treating children, adolescents, teens/young-adults, adults, couples, groups and families who are experiencing difficult situations or suffering from a mental illness.
I am in need of your support to establish a what we are calling the John F. Kennedy Community Counseling Center (a center of the MarylandHealth system).
The John F. Kennedy Center(s) will serve the community as a teaching behavioral health center providing culturally sensitive counseling services, as well as, learning opportunities to graduate and post-graduate level clinicians as they prepare for Maryland State licensure.
Why are we named called the John F. Kennedy Counseling Center?
The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 (CMHA) (also known as the Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act, Mental Retardation Facilities and Construction Act, Public Law 88-164, or the Mental Retardation and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963) was an act to provide federal funding for community mental health centers and research facilities in the United States. This legislation was passed as part of John F. Kennedy's New Frontier. It led to considerable deinstitutionalization.
The Act was to provide assistance in combating mental illness through grants for construction of research centers and grants for facilities for the mentally ill and assistance in improving mental health through grants for construction of community mental health centers, and for other purposes.
Only half of the proposed centers were ever built; none were fully funded, and the act didn’t provide money to operate them long-term. Some states saw an opportunity to close expensive state hospitals without spending some of the money on community-based care. Deinstitutionalization accelerated after the adoption of Medicaid in 1965. During the Reagan administration, the remaining funding for the act was converted into a mental-health block grant for states. Since the CMHA was enacted, 90 percent of beds have been cut at state hospitals.
We are seeking to fulfill the vision of John F. Kennedy was build 1,500 community mental health centers across the country providing mental health services to ALL AMERICANS who are in need of support.
We will begin this ambitious goal starting in Baltimore, Maryland.
Here Is What You Need to Know and Why You Should Help .....
There are very few differences when its comes to prevalence of mental health conditions when comparing cultures to cultures. However, the concerns or experiences and how minorities understand and cope with these conditions are often times VERY different.
Why Does Mental Health Matter?
Without mental health we cannot be healthy. Any part of the body—including the brain—can get sick. We all experience emotional ups and downs from time to time caused by events in our lives. Mental health conditions go beyond these emotional reactions to specific situations. They are medical conditions that cause changes in how we think and feel and in our mood. These changes can alter an individual's life because they make it hard to relate to others and function the way they used to. Without proper treatment, mental health conditions can worsen and make day-to-day life hard.
How Do Mental Health Conditions Affect the African American Community?
Although anyone can develop a mental health problem, Minority populations sometimes experience more severe forms of mental health conditions due to unmet needs and other barriers. According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population. Common mental health disorders among members of minority communities include:
* Major depression
* Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
* Suicide
* Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), because minority populations are more likely to be victims of violent crime.
For example, African Americans are also more likely to experience certain factors that increase the risk for developing a mental health condition:
Homelessness. People experiencing homelessness are at a greater risk of developing a mental health condition.
Exposure to violence increases the risk of developing a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Children (of minority cultures) are more likely to be exposed to violence than other children.
Reluctance and Inability to Access Mental Health Services
On average approximately one-quarter of minority populations seek mental health care, compared to 40% of whites. Here are some reasons why:
* Distrust and misdiagnosis. Historically, minority communities have been and continue to be negatively affected by prejudice and discrimination in the health care system. Misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment and lack of cultural competence by health professionals cause distrust and prevent many patients from seeking or staying in treatment.
* Socio-economic factors play a part too and can make treatment options less available. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2012, very few Americans have a form of health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is making it easier and more affordable to get insured.
* Lack of mental health professionals that look like the patient is a major concern to patients. For example, only 3.7% of members in the American Psychiatric Association and 1.5% of members in the American Psychological Association are African American.
Finding the Right Provider Is Key.
* Cultural Competence in Service Delivery Culture —a person’s beliefs, norms, values and language—plays a key role in every aspect of our lives, including our mental health. Cultural competence is a therapist’s ability to recognize and understand the role culture plays in treatment and to adapt to this reality to meet your needs.
Unfortunately, research has shown lack of cultural competence in mental health care. This results in misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment. People of color and other multicultural communities tend to receive poorer quality of care.
However, your support can improve the odds of individuals getting culturally sensitive mental health care.
Please donate to support my effort in establishing the John F. Kennedy Counseling Center in Baltimore City.
Campaign Deadline: September 2018
Thank you in advance for your support!
Imamu Baraka, Psychotherapist
Note: The copy, material and video are the property of NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Health. This Gofundme campaign is not associated with NAMI.
I am in need of your support to establish a what we are calling the John F. Kennedy Community Counseling Center (a center of the MarylandHealth system).
The John F. Kennedy Center(s) will serve the community as a teaching behavioral health center providing culturally sensitive counseling services, as well as, learning opportunities to graduate and post-graduate level clinicians as they prepare for Maryland State licensure.
Why are we named called the John F. Kennedy Counseling Center?
The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 (CMHA) (also known as the Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act, Mental Retardation Facilities and Construction Act, Public Law 88-164, or the Mental Retardation and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963) was an act to provide federal funding for community mental health centers and research facilities in the United States. This legislation was passed as part of John F. Kennedy's New Frontier. It led to considerable deinstitutionalization.
The Act was to provide assistance in combating mental illness through grants for construction of research centers and grants for facilities for the mentally ill and assistance in improving mental health through grants for construction of community mental health centers, and for other purposes.
Only half of the proposed centers were ever built; none were fully funded, and the act didn’t provide money to operate them long-term. Some states saw an opportunity to close expensive state hospitals without spending some of the money on community-based care. Deinstitutionalization accelerated after the adoption of Medicaid in 1965. During the Reagan administration, the remaining funding for the act was converted into a mental-health block grant for states. Since the CMHA was enacted, 90 percent of beds have been cut at state hospitals.
We are seeking to fulfill the vision of John F. Kennedy was build 1,500 community mental health centers across the country providing mental health services to ALL AMERICANS who are in need of support.
We will begin this ambitious goal starting in Baltimore, Maryland.
Here Is What You Need to Know and Why You Should Help .....
There are very few differences when its comes to prevalence of mental health conditions when comparing cultures to cultures. However, the concerns or experiences and how minorities understand and cope with these conditions are often times VERY different.
Why Does Mental Health Matter?
Without mental health we cannot be healthy. Any part of the body—including the brain—can get sick. We all experience emotional ups and downs from time to time caused by events in our lives. Mental health conditions go beyond these emotional reactions to specific situations. They are medical conditions that cause changes in how we think and feel and in our mood. These changes can alter an individual's life because they make it hard to relate to others and function the way they used to. Without proper treatment, mental health conditions can worsen and make day-to-day life hard.
How Do Mental Health Conditions Affect the African American Community?
Although anyone can develop a mental health problem, Minority populations sometimes experience more severe forms of mental health conditions due to unmet needs and other barriers. According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population. Common mental health disorders among members of minority communities include:
* Major depression
* Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
* Suicide
* Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), because minority populations are more likely to be victims of violent crime.
For example, African Americans are also more likely to experience certain factors that increase the risk for developing a mental health condition:
Homelessness. People experiencing homelessness are at a greater risk of developing a mental health condition.
Exposure to violence increases the risk of developing a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Children (of minority cultures) are more likely to be exposed to violence than other children.
Reluctance and Inability to Access Mental Health Services
On average approximately one-quarter of minority populations seek mental health care, compared to 40% of whites. Here are some reasons why:
* Distrust and misdiagnosis. Historically, minority communities have been and continue to be negatively affected by prejudice and discrimination in the health care system. Misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment and lack of cultural competence by health professionals cause distrust and prevent many patients from seeking or staying in treatment.
* Socio-economic factors play a part too and can make treatment options less available. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2012, very few Americans have a form of health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is making it easier and more affordable to get insured.
* Lack of mental health professionals that look like the patient is a major concern to patients. For example, only 3.7% of members in the American Psychiatric Association and 1.5% of members in the American Psychological Association are African American.
Finding the Right Provider Is Key.
* Cultural Competence in Service Delivery Culture —a person’s beliefs, norms, values and language—plays a key role in every aspect of our lives, including our mental health. Cultural competence is a therapist’s ability to recognize and understand the role culture plays in treatment and to adapt to this reality to meet your needs.
Unfortunately, research has shown lack of cultural competence in mental health care. This results in misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment. People of color and other multicultural communities tend to receive poorer quality of care.
However, your support can improve the odds of individuals getting culturally sensitive mental health care.
Please donate to support my effort in establishing the John F. Kennedy Counseling Center in Baltimore City.
Campaign Deadline: September 2018
Thank you in advance for your support!
Imamu Baraka, Psychotherapist
Note: The copy, material and video are the property of NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Health. This Gofundme campaign is not associated with NAMI.
Organizer
Imamu Asa Baraka
Organizer
Baltimore, MD
