The COVID-19 pandemic and the Floyd protests are two national crises that hit America’s Black and Brown community harder, and just as these events showed and exasperated previous health care disparities.

The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted inequities in the mental and behavioral health care systems stemming from existing barriers in social determinants of health.

In June, the Buffalo Chapter hosted an event to help people cope with these events, said Alaina Jones, co-chair of Buffalo NAACP Branch’s Young Adult Coordinating Committee.

“We wanted to continue the conversation about mental health in the African American community,” Jones said.

July is Black, Indigenous and People of Color or BIPOC [Minority] Mental Health Awareness Month and throughout the month, the Buffalo Chapter of the NAACP will be hosting weekly Facebook Lives.

“There still seems to be a stigma within our community about mental health, so by talking about it and by bringing professionals in, we wanted to help reduce that stigma and bring in more education and resources to our community,” she said. 

During the first two Facebook Live discussions, both guests discuss the need for cultural competence and compassion in mental health care — with the first live chat discussing an overarching look at this issue and the second chat specifically focusing on Black women’s mental health.

“We know Black lives matter and now it’s time to recognize and understand that Black mental health as well,” Jones said. “This is a great first step to have these events.”

Jones hopes to continue these efforts with the health committee at the local chapter. 

Approximately 30 percent of African Americans with a mental illness receive treatment compared to 43 percent of the total population of people with mental illness, according to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Black and Latino people who have behavioral health needs often have lower access to needed treatment, terminate treatment earlier, and experience less culturally responsive care, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

Further exasperating barriers to treatment are insurance companies often deny coverage for mental and behavioral health care, despite both federal and state laws.

In 2018, the New York State office of the Attorney General released a report investigating several complaints of unwarranted denials for mental health care, including restricting coverage of Medically Assisted Treatment drugs like subloxone.

During BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo advanced new regulation requiring insurers to provide equitable behavioral health coverage.

Under the proposed regulation, this parity program must identify discrepancies in coverage of services for mental health and substance use, among other things. Public comments on this topic will be accepted until Sept. 7.

"New Yorkers sacrificed greatly to bend the curve of COVID-19, but with the surge in cases around the country and the mental health challenges many of our fellow New Yorkers face, our work is far from over," Cuomo said. "These new regulations will help people struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues by requiring insurers to provide the coverage and benefits they need.”

The Buffalo Chapter of the NAACP is working against systemic racism and discrimination not only socioeconomically and politically, but also within the health care system, Jones said.

“We stress the importance of people getting registered to vote and getting out to vote and exercising their right to vote” she said. “But also [about] taking care of our mental and our physical health as well. We care about the whole person.”

The Buffalo Chapter of the NAACP’s next Facebook Live Chat will be July 20 at 6-7 p.m. est time on their Facebook page.