Racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. continue to face stark disparities in mental health care, with access and quality gaps driving poorer outcomes. White adults report using mental health services at a rate of 50%, compared with 39% for Black adults and 36% for Hispanic adults. For many, finding culturally competent providers remains a challenge—55% of Asian adults and 46% of Black adults say they struggle to find professionals who understand their background, compared with 38% of White adults.
Barriers extend beyond availability. Hispanic adults report the highest rates of not receiving care, often because they “did not know how to find a provider” or felt “afraid or embarrassed to seek care.” Even when care is accessed, minority patients are more likely to encounter poor quality treatment, reinforcing medical mistrust.
The consequences are profound. Racial discrimination is linked to physiological stress responses and worse mental health outcomes. Individuals who experienced discrimination had a 3% higher probability of depression and a 2% higher likelihood of substance use disorders. Geographic location and insurance status further amplify these risks, as non-White populations remain disproportionately uninsured.
Experts warn that underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis persist, widening gaps in care and fueling mistrust. Community-based initiatives—from culturally tailored counseling to advocacy groups—are emerging to close these divides, but systemic change is essential. As this year’s Minority Mental Health Awareness Month theme urged: “Turning Awareness Into Action” is critical to ensure equitable mental health care for all.
See: “Addressing Racial Disparities in Minority Mental Health and Finding Support in 2025” (July 18, 2025)
