Minority Mental Health Research Program
Mental health disparities remain a persistent public health issue in the United States, particularly for underserved populations such as racial and ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, individuals from lower socioeconomic strata, or those residing in rural or frontier geographic areas. The NIMH Strategic Plan for Research highlights the reduction of disparities and the promotion of mental health equity as a priority, through emphasis on research that addresses the needs of underserved and underrepresented populations. The 2018 National Healthcare Quality & Disparities Report suggested that while some disparities have gotten smaller, several disparities persist, especially for low socioeconomic and uninsured populations; and that for racial and ethnic minorities, disparities remain worse in key quality measures. A growing evidence base points to opportunities for bringing to scale successful interventions that increase quality and access to mental health care for underserved populations. Questions remain regarding individual-, community-, provider-, and health system-related mechanisms underlying disparities in mental health and mental health service use.