ORGANIZATION WANTS TO REDUCE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR

The Steve Fund, founded in 2014, focuses on the mental health needs of young people of color in colleges and universities. PHOTO PROVIDED BY RISE STRATEGY GROUP.
The Steve Fund, founded in 2014, focuses on the mental health needs of young people of color in colleges and universities. PHOTO PROVIDED BY RISE STRATEGY GROUP.

ORGANIZATION WANTS TO REDUCE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR

By Tia Carol Jones

Being a young person of color in the current environment with everything going on can be very challenging and very stressful. While young people of color are like all young people transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, the experience of being a young person is going to be different because of racism and xenophobia, which plays out in community. The Steve Fund is providing young people with access to mental health services.

The Steve Fund was founded in 2014 to center and focus on the mental health needs of young people of color, especially young people of color in colleges and universities. The organization centers around three strategic pillars which include transforming the environment, resource sharing and skill building, and shaping the field.

“When it comes to transforming the environment, we want to make sure we operate in such a way that we support environments of higher education, workplace environments, as well, to further equip them with the tools, resources and insights they need to support their population,” said David McGhee, CEO of The Steve Fund.

As young people of color enter college, The Steve Fund wants to position itself to be a viable resource to institutions of higher education to support them and further strengthen their ability to support their populations. While providing resources and skill building to young people of color and their families, The Steve Fund recognizes that the young people are navigating the world, while being deeply rooted in families and communities that deeply care for them and love them. This includes workshops, community building, resource sharing and wellness circles.

In shaping the field, The Steve Fund holds courageous conversations, while taking a deep dive into research. It is an opportunity to develop a broad approach and bring others into the fold, to reduce stigma and advance the conversation around promoting and protecting the mental health of young people of color.

“We want to make sure we contribute to a world where more young people of color across the country, along with their peers and families and caregivers, are engaged in effective learning opportunities that support them and improve their skills,” McGhee said.

The Steve Fund wants to ensure there is increased protective factors, while reducing stigma around mental health so that more young people of color can adapt to the environments around them. The Steve Fund sees the potential for a world where every young person is fully supported in ways that are unique to them.

Annelle Primm, M.D., MPH, Senior Medical Advisor of The Steve Fund, said that things like racism, systemic inequities, mass incarceration and violence are all things that have an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people of color and can cause stress, depression, anxiety and trauma.

“I think it’s important for communities to be aware of the fact that this adolescence to young adult period can be a vulnerable period, especially for young people of color. Also,  to be mindful that when young people appear to be going through something or their behavior changes … to really  stay in communication with them and be knowledgeable about mental health and where to get help if a loved one has mental health concerns or they’ve gone through a traumatic experience,” Primm said.

Primm added that Black people have had to be very stoic and very strong in the face of hard times and adversity, having mental health concerns is a real thing and it is important to pay attention to them when they pop up and get help that is available. She said while the rates of mental illness among people of color is similar to other racial groups, one big difference is that people of color are less likely than white people to receive mental health services. It can mean people of color are suffering in silence and have unmet needs. She believes it is important to raise awareness about the availability of mental health services.

Primm said there are things people can do to care for themselves and there are things they can do to reduce stress in their lives. Some of those things include mindfulness meditation, yoga, as well as getting enough rest – which can affect a person’s mental health and wellbeing. She acknowledged that young people of color need someone to talk to and connect with if they are going through racism and microaggressions and discrimination; someone who can give them strategies to process those things.

“Having support is very important and being aware of where to access and how to access mental health resources, those are the things that are important for families and communities to know in order to support their young people,” Primm said.

For more information about The Steve Fund, visit www.stevefund.org.

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