February Observances

Black History Month

We acknowledge how far the field still has to go in serving communities of color, and we salute those working to make a difference today.

MHTTC web pages

• Black History Month page from Northwest MHTTC including resources.
• Black History Month page from the MHTTC Network Coordinating Office including events, products and more.

Resources for Providers

• African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence: transforming behavioral health services for African Americans through collaboration, training, technical assistance, and a variety of written and recorded resources.
• Racial Equity and Cultural Diversity: products and resources curated by the MHTTC Network
• Practice Brief: Cultural Considerations in Applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups with Serious Mental Illness
• Perspectives on Diversity and Being Marginalized from Both Sides of the Couch

Resources for Clients

• Sharing Hope: An African American Guide to Mental Health from NAMI
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and National Alliance on Mental Illness Partnership: since 2015, these organizations have been working together to increase mental health awareness in the African American community.
• Black and LGBTQ: Approaching Intersectional Conversations: from The Trevor Project
• Finding a Culturally Competent Provider
• Loveland Foundation: committed to communities of color with a particular focus on Black women and girls
• National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
• NAMI Seattle BIPOC Mental Health Resources

Continue Your Learning 

• Learn from NAMI about Discrimination and Racism in the History of Mental Health Care
• APA's Apology to Black, Indigenous and People of Color for Its Support of Structural Racism in Psychiatry
• Black Pioneers in Mental Health
• Black and African American Communities and Mental Health: information from Mental Health America
• HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH): health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities.
• Think Cultural Health: A free e-learning program to help behavioral health professionals increase skills

February 27 - March 5:  National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

This annual campaign educates the public about eating disorders, and offers support to those affected by eating disorders

• Contact the National Eating Disorders Helpline: Call or text (800) 931-2237, or Chat Online to receive support, resources, and treatment options
• The National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders offers training and technical assistance for healthcare practitioners on issues related to addressing eating disorders
• The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) offers a variety of resources, including blog posts like what to do when loving your body feels impossible; one person's reflections on body image as a queer, autistic, physically disabled person; countering popular myths about a postpartum body; and experiences with eating disorders and body image of transgender individuals