February 25, 2022 (Submitted by Matt Canuetson)
As we celebrate Black History Month, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) honors and recognizes the remarkable contributions and commitment from the Black community to the mental health field. OMH acknowledges the unique challenges Black community members face and reaffirms the Agency’s commitment to ensuring these communities have equal access to quality mental health services and support systems. We are committed to implementing strategies and efforts to address long-standing and unjust disparities Black, Indigenous and people of color face. With these focused efforts, OMH engages in many activities and remains focused on promoting racial equity and driving system-wide progressive change.
Following the additional attention to race precipitated by George Floyd’s murder, the Multicultural Advisory Committee encouraged the OMH to collaborate with the Nathan Kline Institute’s Center for Research on Cultural and Structural Equity in Behavioral Health to conduct an Agency-wide review of structural racism throughout the entire Agency. This comprehensive review is intended to identify systemic and executive policies, procedures and practices that may unintentionally contribute to racial inequities in New York’s mental health system. (Read More)