To Support Black Youth Mental Health, We Must Look to Community-Based Solutions

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2021 Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health, Black children (under 13) are almost twice as likely to die by suicide than their white peers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that suicide rates for Black youths (ages 10-24) rose significantly from 2018 to 2021. Compounding the issue, Black Americans face barriers to care that make it harder to seek help, and the stigma of discussing mental health challenges adds an additional hurdle. 

What can be done to halt and begin to reverse the harm that is being done? There is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution. A broad, coordinated approach is necessary. The Jed Foundation (JED) advocates eliminating barriers to mental health care and addressing broader issues that affect the mental health of Black youths. 

But in order to get started, it’s essential to understand the issues at play⁠ — and our options for resolving them.

The Status of Black Youth Mental Health 

Black youths are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles than their non-Black peers. The CDC reported that suicide is increasing at a faster rate for Black youths than it is for any other racial or ethnic group (36.6%). 

The reasons for this cannot be traced back to one specific cause. Studies have shown that experiences with racial discrimination, financial and institutional barriers to care, and police killings of Black Americans are just some of the many contributing factors. 

Similarly, there is not one specific solution. Getting mental health care may seem like a good place to start, but it’s not always feasible. Cost is often a prohibitive factor. Unfortunately, even those who can handle the cost may not have access. The United States is struggling with a shortage of therapists. And then it comes down to the quality of care provided: Most clinicians are white, which can make it difficult for Black Americans to find care from someone who understands their background. Speaking with a culturally sensitive therapist is often key when youths are healing from racial trauma.  

But Black youths may never be encouraged to seek help in the first place; caregivers and educators often fail to recognize their struggles due to a lack of understanding on how mental health issues present in teens and young adults of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Black youths may demonstrate warning signs in different ways than other young people ⁠ —ways that are often interpreted as behavioral problems rather than trauma, anxiety, or depression. As a result, a punitive approach is taken: Black youths exhibiting symptoms of mental health challenges are more likely to be suspended from school, expelled, or sent into the juvenile justice system.

It’s also important to recognize how the combination of different identities can present additional challenges. The phenomenon — sometimes called  intersectionality ⁠— helps us understand the way multiple forms of inequality interact and compound to affect youth mental health. For example, Black youths who are also transgender or nonbinary face a higher risk of suicide than those with only one marginalized identity. The youths’ multiple identities need to be considered when seeking solutions. 

The Need for Large-Scale, Community-Based Solutions 

Many of the hurdles outlined above can only be removed through large-scale reform. The responsibility should not rest solely on parents and caretakers, much less young people themselves. Evidence-based solutions must respond to the different and unique experiences among people of all races. Therefore, we must turn to community-based solutions that reach individuals where they are and when they need it most. 

An important first step is improving access to culturally competent mental health care that addresses the needs of people of all backgrounds. This is easier said than done, especially given the therapist shortage, but it can be facilitated through a number of avenues. Schools, for one, must become safe havens for students, with suicide intervention programs and strong support systems for Black students. Schools are one of the most effective environments for early intervention, because that is where young people spend a majority of their time. 

More work must also be done to help ease the shortage of mental health care experts trained in culturally responsive care. Advocating for scholarship programs that give Black youth the chance to study medicine, psychiatry, psychology, and social work is a step in the right direction. The field of medicine must also evolve as well. Historically, most psychiatric research has been done by and for white people, leaving a profound knowledge gap that continues to endanger Black Americans. Additionally, research topics proposed by Black scientists are less likely to be funded than topics proposed by their white counterparts⁠ — a loss to the scientific community as a whole. Research that looks at risk factors, as well as protective factors, stressors, and disparities unique to Black youths, can improve understanding of the obstacles they face and how to address them. 

Finally, funding social programs and resources that reach all young people, especially Black youth, can foster a sense of belonging and support. Community-building is a strong, well-established method for suicide prevention and improving youth mental health. 

JED’s Commitment and Call to Action

The Jed Foundation recognizes that Black teens and young adults face unique mental health challenges. JED is committed to doing the work that needs to be done to support and protect them so that they are equipped to thrive. But coordinated reform is needed in all aspects of care. It’s past time for society to pay attention and prioritize mental health care and suicide prevention for Black youths.