A recent policy brief from American University sheds light on the pervasive discrimination faced by racial and gender minorities in accessing mental health care. The study, led by SPA Assistant Professor David Schwegman, utilized a correspondence audit field experiment to reveal the extent of bias in securing mental health appointments.
The findings are stark: African American and Hispanic transgender and non-binary individuals encounter significant barriers when seeking mental health services. In contrast, their white counterparts do not face the same level of discrimination. This disparity underscores the systemic issues within mental health care provision, where providers have considerable discretion over which patients to accept.
Transgender and non-binary individuals, particularly those from African American and Hispanic backgrounds, are more likely to experience severe psychological stress, including higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance misuse, and suicidality. The study highlights that 41% of transgender persons in one sample reported attempting suicide, a rate 26 times higher than the general population.
Moreover, the report emphasizes the concept of “minority stress,” which correlates with worse mental health outcomes due to factors like unemployment, lack of insurance, exposure to neighborhood violence, and involvement in the criminal justice system. These stressors are compounded by the discrimination faced in accessing mental health care, leading many to avoid seeking necessary treatment.
The policy brief calls for urgent action to address these disparities and ensure equitable access to mental health services for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender identity.
See: “Discrimination in Mental Health Care for Minorities” (April 23, 2025)
