July was first declared National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, after tireless work from activists such as Bebe Moore Campbell. Fifteen years later, BARCC is working hard to meet the mental health needs of our racially and ethnically diverse survivors.

At BARCC, we know that every survivor’s experience is unique. We also know that race and ethnicity can play a major role in both how survivors experience sexual violence and in their mental health journeys moving forward.

Survivors can experience cultural and systemic barriers to mental well-being, including:

  • Cultural taboos around talking about mental health and sexual violence
  • Distrust for the health care system, partially caused by continued racism
  • Financial restrictions
  • Under or lack of insurance
  • Limited number of representative or culturally responsive providers
  • Language barriers

Some of these barriers have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. People of color are not only more likely to be infected by COVID-19, but are also more likely to be impacted by pandemic related stressors, such as unemployment and loss of a loved one. Further, racism experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has a strong correlation with PTSD and its symptoms.

Despite this adversity, BIPOC survivors and their communities have done incredible work supporting mental wellness. BIPOC communities have long utilized community care—an approach to increasing community wellbeing through “connections, intentional actions, and efforts to mobilize individuals to support one another”–to create collective support networks that have been seen as protective factors for mental health.

BARCC works alongside mutual aid groups, peer support groups, and community health workers to meet the race- and ethnicity-specific mental health needs of survivors. Below are just a few of ways we are currently working to support and empower survivors on their mental health journeys:

Community Awareness and Prevention

As BIPOC communities lead the way in the movement towards community care, our education and leadership development programming seeks to support their work by creating a culture free of survivor mental health stigma and imbuing people with the skills to support survivors. We provide education and training to schools, college campuses, police, businesses, community-based organizations, and communities of all kinds.

Counseling

BARCC offers short-term individual, couples, and group counseling options for survivors ages 12 and older with counselors who are trained to provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive therapeutic services. All counseling services are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Other language needs can be accommodated with prior notice.

Case Management

Meeting the mental health needs of BIPOC survivors may also mean finding practical ways to address life stressors and their links to systemic racism and oppression. We work directly with survivors and their loved ones to assist with their immediate and long-term health, housing, financial, and safety needs. This includes providing information and comprehensive support to survivors inaccessing health insurance, housing funds, emergency shelter, victim compensation, public benefits, and more. The program also advocates for policy changes that further racial and economic justice for survivors.

Legal Advocacy & Immigration

Survivors are never required to disclose an undocumented status when seeking BARCC mental health services nor are denied care due to their legal status. Our legal team helps survivors understand their legal rights and options, guides survivors through legal systems, and advocates for survivors’ privacy and safety in every aspect of their lives. BARCC knows that immigration issues can also be a major source of stress for immigrant survivors.

That is why our staff of legal advocates includes a bilingual immigration attorney who can provide immigrant survivors:

  • U visa representation
  • T visa representation
  • VAWA self-petition representation
  • General consultation regarding your immigration options
  • Referrals

Learn more about how we can support you or a BIPOC survivor you know. You can also find more race- and ethnicity-specific survivor services here. If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate support, please call our hotline 24/7 at 800-841-8371 or reach out to us at barcc.org/chat.

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