PS: Something the study also mentions is why youth who can access mental healthcare, don't. Citing, "I don't trust people easily, not even therapists," or "I was too afraid to set up an appointment," or "Because I thought it was pointless," which is really disparaging and hard to read. How do we fix that? Part of the work is talking about it, is having this conversation, is pushing people in the right direction. But, what needs to change?
MPF: Yeah, that's a big question: so big that we have a report in and of itself on just this topic, on breaking barriers. But I think part of it is when we start to talk about issues of trust, we talk about issues of fear, and I think some of that does speak to overall concern with anyone seeking care. But there are very specific issues when it comes to both Black and LGBTQ individuals when seeking this care.
One of the most important things we can do is increase representation of individuals in these areas that they can go to. So if you already feel as though, "OK, well, what I wanna do is find someone who is Black to start this journey off with," and that perhaps my assumption [is] that I wouldn't have to cross as many cultural barriers because this individual is Black — just like me. That starts way in the beginning when we talk about education in terms of allowing more Black individuals to go into psychiatry, and psychology, and mental healthcare in the first place.
![PS: Something the study also mentions is why youth who can access mental healthcare, don't. Citing, "I don't trust people easily, not even therapists," or "I was too afraid to set up an appointment," or "Because I thought it was pointless," which is really disparaging and hard to read. How do we fix that? Part of the work is talking about it, is having this conversation, is pushing people in the right direction. But, what needs to change?
MPF: Yeah, that's a big question: so big that we have a report in and of itself on just this topic, on breaking barriers. But I think part of it is when we start to talk about issues of trust, we talk about issues of fear, and I think some of that does speak to overall concern with anyone seeking care. But there are very specific issues when it comes to both Black and LGBTQ individuals when seeking this care.
One of the most important things we can do is increase representation of individuals in these areas that they can go to. So if you already feel as though, "OK, well, what I wanna do is find someone who is Black to start this journey off with," and that perhaps my assumption [is] that I wouldn't have to cross as many cultural barriers because this individual is Black — just like me. That starts way in the beginning when we talk about education in terms of allowing more Black individuals to go into psychiatry, and psychology, and mental healthcare in the first place.](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/59mr1K0rubZK98_nD0DZ_IVZ3Xo/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2020/10/30/991/n/1922729/3094ef25c2fe7a2c_GettyImages-1171159508/i/PS-Something-study-also-mentions-is-why-youth-who-can-access.jpg "PS: Something the study also mentions is why youth who can access mental healthcare, don't. Citing, \"I don't trust people easily, not even therapists,\" or \"I was too afraid to set up an appointment,\" or \"Because I thought it was pointless,\" which is really disparaging and hard to read. How do we fix that? Part of the work is talking about it, is having this conversation, is pushing people in the right direction. But, what needs to change?
MPF: Yeah, that's a big question: so big that we have a report in and of itself on just this topic, on breaking barriers. But I think part of it is when we start to talk about issues of trust, we talk about issues of fear, and I think some of that does speak to overall concern with anyone seeking care. But there are very specific issues when it comes to both Black and LGBTQ individuals when seeking this care.
One of the most important things we can do is increase representation of individuals in these areas that they can go to. So if you already feel as though, \"OK, well, what I wanna do is find someone who is Black to start this journey off with,\" and that perhaps my assumption [is] that I wouldn't have to cross as many cultural barriers because this individual is Black — just like me. That starts way in the beginning when we talk about education in terms of allowing more Black individuals to go into psychiatry, and psychology, and mental healthcare in the first place.")
