press release
Three Millions Dollars Donation to National Alliance for Mental Illness from Praxis News Group
PUBLISH SEPTERMBER 20, 2013
NEW YORK, September 18, 2013-- James Jones, the CEO of Praxis News Group, today announced a contribution of three million dollars to NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, to help identify African Americans with mental illness and get them into community health services or private clinics. This is the biggest donation on behalf of African Americans who suffered from the mental illness.
Culture biases against mental health professionals and health care professionals in general prevent many African Americans from assessing care due to prior experiences with historical misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment and lack of cultural understanding, according to NAMI/Our Lives African American mental health study. The study shows that only 2 percent of psychiatrists, 2 percent of psychologists and 4 percent of social workers in the United States are African American.
“This survey reveals that African Americans tend to rely on family, religious and social communities for emotional support rather than turning to health care professionals, even though this may at times be necessary,” said Samuel Seitel, chief editor of Our Lives magazine.
The study also shows that overall sensitivity to African American cultural differences is critical. Because African Americans may have some bad experience of receiving health services due to the culture differences, they report that handling their mental illnesses understandably is the most important factor in asking for health services.
The implementation of various programs and innovations may improve African Americans’ treatment experiences and increase utilization of mental health care services. “That’s what the donation is expected to do,” said James Jones.
To review the complete report and survey result, visit www.nami.org and www.ourlives.com
Methodology
The NAMI/Our Lives African
PUBLISH SEPTERMBER 20, 2013
NEW YORK, September 18, 2013-- James Jones, the CEO of Praxis News Group, today announced a contribution of three million dollars to NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, to help identify African Americans with mental illness and get them into community health services or private clinics. This is the biggest donation on behalf of African Americans who suffered from the mental illness.
Culture biases against mental health professionals and health care professionals in general prevent many African Americans from assessing care due to prior experiences with historical misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment and lack of cultural understanding, according to NAMI/Our Lives African American mental health study. The study shows that only 2 percent of psychiatrists, 2 percent of psychologists and 4 percent of social workers in the United States are African American.
“This survey reveals that African Americans tend to rely on family, religious and social communities for emotional support rather than turning to health care professionals, even though this may at times be necessary,” said Samuel Seitel, chief editor of Our Lives magazine.
The study also shows that overall sensitivity to African American cultural differences is critical. Because African Americans may have some bad experience of receiving health services due to the culture differences, they report that handling their mental illnesses understandably is the most important factor in asking for health services.
The implementation of various programs and innovations may improve African Americans’ treatment experiences and increase utilization of mental health care services. “That’s what the donation is expected to do,” said James Jones.
To review the complete report and survey result, visit www.nami.org and www.ourlives.com
Methodology
The NAMI/Our Lives African