PHILADELPHIA—More than ever, American college and university students are seeking counseling and other mental health services to deal with issues like depression and anxiety. At the same time, students of color face additional stress and are less likely to access mental care because of their race and ethnicity.
The Steve Fund—an organization dedicated to promoting the mental health and well-being of young people of color—is working to overcome these challenges specifically on college campuses. Each year, the group brings together college counselors, psychologists, academics, school officials and other mental health workers to highlight the issues that place students of color at a greater risk for mental illness.
This year, over 300 attendees from higher education institutions across the nation gathered at the University of Pennsylvania to participate in the 2018 Young, Gifted & @ Risk forum.
“When it comes to students of color there’s a real fear of one acknowledging that maybe being a person of color places you at a different kind of a risk for having an emotional problem,” said Dr. DJ Ida, who oversees the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association and has worked at the organization for over 15 years. “We don’t know how to deal with it. I think a lot of main problem is not knowing what do and being really afraid to do something,”
Speakers and panelists explored how issues of race, class, immigration status, discrimination, stigma, cultural mistrust, and feelings of isolation negatively impact the mental and emotional well-being of students of color.
For instance, Crystal Bullard, a veteran psychiatrist in the Carolinas Health System, said that Native Americans, who have higher rates of substance abuse, are likely to seek the help of a spiritual advisor rather than a mental health professional.
