Mental health is health. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month calls us to focus on the unique challenges Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) face when it comes to accessing mental health services. At Catholic Charities, our team is trained to provide culturally sensitive care
Every July, the behavioral health community encourages the recognition of Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time to focus on the mental health challenges facing Black, Indigenous and people of color
“At Catholic Charities, we recognize the importance of ensuring behavioral health treatment is available and accessible to everyone, especially for minority communities,” said Chief Nurse Executive Dr. Lisa Merritt, who leads the Integrated Behavioral Health Services team
Dr. Merritt notes the treatment gaps, or the number of individuals who have a behavioral health illness and who do not seek professional assistance, are greater for people of color. “Research shows Black people and people who are Hispanic or Latino are less likely to seek treatment for these issues than their white counterparts. We want to be sure they know care is available,” she said
“Our Early Intervention Support Services (EISS) program provides same day access to mental health and crisis services to residents of Burlington and Mercer counties,” Dr. Merritt said. “Our aim is to reduce barriers to treatment. Seven days a week, individuals can walk into or call our clinics without a referral or without an appointment and get help.” Catholic Charities operates as a Trauma Informed Agency and its clinicians are trained to provide culturally responsive care
Because Catholic Charities operates under the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model, the agency can immediately connect clients to social services through wraparound care in addition to providing mental health services and addiction treatment. The clinics are open to anyone, regardless of whether they have insurance or Medicaid
Burlington County:In Burlington County, EISS provides short-term clinical and psychiatric interventions for individuals 18 and older. The office is located at 25 Ikea Drive in Westampton. Walk-ins are welcome seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Calls to 609-386-7331 are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week
In Burlington County, there are also Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS) for families who have a member with a severe mental illness diagnosis. The program offers support groups, respite care, advocacy and consultations. For more information, contact 609-571-5312
Mercer County:In Mercer County, EISS provides short-term clinical and psychiatric interventions for individuals 18 and older. The office is located at 1225-1255 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Building B, Suites 504-505 in Hamilton. Walk-ins are welcome seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Calls to 609-256-4200 are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Mercer residents 12 and older can find support at Princeton Integrated Behavioral Health (PIBH). Their office is located at 1 Monument Drive in Princeton. PIBH is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 800-360-7711
Click here for more information about Catholic Charities’ behavioral health services
Catholic Charities strives to make behavioral health services accessible to all. Our Early Intervention Support Services clinics are open seven days a week. Walk-in clients are welcome
The Story Behind the Month
Bebe Moore Campbell was an author, journalist and teacher who used her writing to bring mental illness out of the shadows for Black families. She was the author of the novel “72 Hour Hold” and the children’s book “Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry.” Campbell also co-founded NAMI’s Inglewood, Calif., chapter (now NAMI Urban Los Angeles), creating one of the first safe spaces for open conversation about mental health in the Black community
Her advocacy was personal. Watching a loved one struggle for years before her family accepted the diagnosis, Campbell became determined to help others to resist the stigma. In 2005, her friend Linda Wharton-Boyd proposed dedicating a national month to the cause. Together they began building support — news conferences, book signings, church talks and a growing task force of advocates
When Campbell passed away from brain cancer in November 2006, her allies carried the work forward. With Representatives Albert Wynn (D-MD) and Diane Watson (D-CA) championing the legislation, the U.S. House of Representatives officially designated July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008
Today the observance, also called BIPOC Mental Health Month, continues to pursue the same goals Campbell and Wharton-Boyd set out with — improving access to mental health treatment and raising public awareness of mental illness in underserved communities
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