Also known as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

Formally recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives in June 2008 (and currently designated as), Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness in the US. As an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate, Bebe Moore Campbell worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.

Each year, as a way to honor and continue the visionary work of Bebe Moore Campbell, our partner, Mental Health America (MHA), creates a public education campaign dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). This year’s theme is Strength in Communities.

Throughout this month MHA will be highlighting alternative mental health supports created by BIPOC as well as queer and trans-BIPOC (QTBIPOC) for BIPOC and QTBIPOC.

The Toolkit examines community-developed systems of support created to fill in gaps within traditional systems that may overlook cultural and historical factors that impede BIPOC and QTBIPOC mental health.

It explores three topic areas:

Community care refers to ways in which communities of color have provided support to each other. This can include things such as mutual aid, peer support, and healing circles.
Self-directed care is an innovative practice that emphasizes that people with mental health and substance use conditions, or their representatives, if applicable, have decision-making authority over services they receive.
Cultural care refers to practices embedded in cultures passed down through generations that naturally provide resiliency and healing.

Learn more here.