Atlanta partners with group to fight mental health stigma
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The city of Atlanta is teaming up with a nonprofit to advocate for mental health awareness in marginalized communities.
Why it matters: While more people are talking openly about their mental health and seeking professional help, the country's suicide rate has reached the highest level in more than 80 years.
Driving the news: Atlanta's partnership with Silence the Shame educates people about mental health issues, shares resources they can use to access help, and highlights disparities in care across the city.
- Mayor Andre Dickens said the campaign will "ensure Atlanta is a city where mental health resources are accessible to everyone, furthering our mission to build healthy and thriving communities."
- The city will host free seminars throughout the year, with topics focusing on reducing stigma around seeking help and improving "mental health literacy."
What they're saying: Atlanta music executive Shanti Das launched Silence the Shame in 2016. She tells Axios the partnership will also educate people about the 988 national suicide hotline.
- The nonprofit partnered with the city two years ago when Dickens launched his Year of the Youth initiative.
- After recent conversations with officials in the mayor's administration, they decided to another campaign was needed due to increased anxiety after the COVID pandemic and "the current state of the world that we're living in," Das said.
- "We just felt like it was important to make sure that a lot of people could have access — or more people, rather — could have access to this number because it can help save lives," she said, referring to the suicide hotline.
Zoom in: Black U.S. adults are more likely than white adults to report symptoms of emotional distress, research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration finds, but just one in three Black Americans suffering from mental illness receives treatment, Axios' Justin Mack reports.
- A CDC report shows suicide rates among Black children and young adults ages 10 to 24 increased 36.6% and 22.9% among Black adults ages 25 to 44 between 2018 and 2021.
- Suicide rates among adults ages 25–44 also increased for people who identify as Hispanic (19.4%) and American Indian or Alaskan Native (33.7%).
The big picture: While mental health discussions have become more public, Das said there is still hesitancy among some people in communities of color to open up about their struggles.
- At the same time, these same communities have a shortage of mental health care providers who look like them, which can hinder a person's desire to seek treatment.
- Financial and social barriers may exacerbate inequities.
The bottom line: "We don't want to keep losing our kids and our children, and it's just so very important that we take a look at something that has been so stigmatized for so many years, and a lot of people, unfortunately, don't understand," Das told Axios.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.