2023 IWES Policy Advisory Fellows (PAF) Alumni
Question:
Why is it so important/crucial to focus on Black youth mental health (BYMH), especially in New Orleans/the South?
Stacey:
Focusing on Black youth mental health, particularly in New Orleans and the South, is especially important due to the unique and historical disparities they face. The South and New Orleans has a complex history of racial inequity, which continues to impact the health and well-being of Black youth today. Such historical disparities are only compounded by ongoing social issues including poverty, systemic racism, and limited access to quality mental health care that disparately affect Black youth. Thus, addressing the mental health needs of Black youth, considering these contextual factors, is crucial to break the cycle of generational trauma and foster a healthier and more equitable society. It is imperative to continue investing and focusing on Black youth mental health to promote greater resilience and wellness for future generations.
Question:
What brought you into this project?
Stacey:
As someone who was interested in the clinical side of mental health but also had more macro-level questions, I wasn’t sure where that interest would lie until I discovered the field of mental health policy. But even so, I found that policy tends to do a great job of leaving marginalized voices, especially youth and youth of color, out of the conversation. Thus, what brought me to this Fellowship was the marriage between clinical mental health, larger policy and structural forces, and the interior human experience of identity shaped by historical and systemic forces.
Question:
What policy or systems changes would you recommend to support BYMH? What is lacking now, or what equity gaps need to be addressed to improve BYMH?
Stacey:
Unfortunately, jails and prisons remain de facto mental health institutions after a longstanding history of taking carceral approaches to mental health and substance use issues. While the goal is to eventually completely disentangle justice involvement from mental health, there is currently an opportunity to take a step in the right direction by diverting justice-involved youth into supportive and rehabilitative treatment. However, jail diversion programs tend to be an outcome of community partnerships led by passionate, boots-on-the ground grassroots individuals or communities who see a need and step up. They are, oftentimes, not publicly funded, not widely accepted, and remain far from the status quo. There is a growing need for policy change to further incentivize, mandate, and eventually enforce jail diversion programs for Black youth who need treatment instead of incarceration.
Question:
What is your vision of a world where Black youth have all of the mental health supports they need? What would it take to get there and what is your hope for the future?
Stacey:
Black youth mental health is a complex issue, with both upstream and downstream factors entangled. As such, it’s difficult to point to a singular model which would completely encompass and address all the issues that Black youth face. Achieving a vision where Black youth have all the mental health support they need requires a multi-faceted approach, including equitable access to care, culturally sensitive and inclusive therapy, anti-discrimination measures, and comprehensive mental health prevention efforts. This would require a widely collective effort across multiple sectors in the government, healthcare system, communities, private sector, and educational institutions. The hope is to create a society where Black youth are unburdened by the mental health disparities that have plagued the community for far too long.