Written by Howard University Newsroom Staff
Howard University Hospital (HUH) will host the American Psychiatric Association’s Moore Equity in Mental Health Community Fair on the HUH Front Pavilion (2041 Georgia Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20060).
The APA Moore Equity in Mental Health Community Fair will provide community members with an abundance of general mental health information and pertinent resources, as well as connect individuals with local mental health services and organizations dedicated to raising the mental health equity of D.C. residents. In addition, the event will feature music, snacks, prizes and child-friendly activities, such as a reading room with book pick-up, Zumba, meditation and workout class introductions.
The community fair at HUH is part of a series of events hosted by APA to mark Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, including a 5K run, walk and roll earlier this month and virtual roundtables.
“Howard University Hospital is proud to partner with the American Psychiatric Association to raise awareness for mental health access in Washington, D.C.,” said Danielle Hairston, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and president of APA’s Black Caucus. “Mental health is critical to the wellbeing of our community and The Moore Equity in Mental Health Community Fair promises to create opportunities and provide much needed resources for underserved populations that typically do not have access to mental health services.”
“APA is celebrating Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month through what we hope is an honor to her legacy: reaching out to the communities she cared so much about with the stigma breaking mental health education and resources that will help everyone thrive,” said APA Deputy Medical Director and Chief of Diversity and Health Equity Regina James, M.D. “We are pleased to be able to hold this community fair on the Howard University Hospital campus and reaches so many of our neighbors in Washington, D.C.”
“Our mental health has been impacted across the country, with Black, Latino and Indigenous communities facing distinct challenges due to longstanding systemic health and social inequalities,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “That’s why APA is so pleased to offer this community fair alongside Howard University Hospital, to share resources, and to emphasize that there’s no health without mental health.”
In 2022, the District of Columbia faces a critical crossroads regarding mental health issues among key demographic groups. According to the data from “2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adolescents in D.C. are more likely to have planned how they would attempt suicide; attempted suicide; and attempted suicide that resulted in an injury, poisoning or overdose, which had to be treated by a doctor or nurse. The report confirms suicide numbers for teens in the district are significantly higher compared to their peers across the nation.
The CDC study also suggests a number of disparities exist in adolescent health outcomes among Black middle and high school students. The data reveals Black students are almost three times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to their white middle and high school counterparts. And, nearly one out of five Black and Latina female middle school students reported having attempted suicide.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has unearthed a wide range of socioeconomic disparities, which have negatively impacted our community. That’s why partnerships with organizations like the APA are so critically important to improving the health and wellbeing of people in our city during this unprecedented time,” said Dr. Hairston. “We want people to join us this Saturday, to have some fun and get informed about mental health resources that are available in our community.”
