BARRIERS TO CARE

Barriers to Mental Health Care

ACMHS addresses what has been a persistent problem in the U.S. -- the under-utilization of mental health services by ethnic minority groups in general and A&PIs in particular.

A&PIs have the lowest rates of utilization of mental health services among all ethnic populations, according to the U.S. Surgeon General's 2001 Report on Mental Health.

Research indicates that A&PIs dramatically under-utilize mental health services -- at both the national and local levels ¹. According to researchers, this under-utilization does not mean that A&PI communities have fewer mental health problems. Rather, it points to specific barriers to access and use of mental health services. ²

Although low-income A&PIs encounter the greatest challenges to improved mental health, mental illness cuts across all socio-economic levels in the A&PI community.

The stigma surrounding mental illness has an impact on access to and utilization of essential mental health services, for example, early assessment, prevention services, case management, and treatment. Other access barriers include:

• Lack of English proficiency ³
• Cultural shame and stigma about mental health problems ⁴
• Cognitive and/or ethnic mismatches between therapist and client ⁵

Research has also consistently shown that A&PIs tend to delay seeking mental health services. As a result, those who delay treatment suffer from more severe mental health conditions and have longer hospitalizations than other ethnic groups.