African descendant communities tend to rely on family, religious and social communities for emotional support, rather than turning to health care professionals, even though this may be necessary. Culture biases against mental health professionals and health care professionals in general prevent many African Americans from accessing care due to prior experiences with historical misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment, and a lack of cultural understanding.
The African Coalition is providing mental health services that is culturally specific practice that can be broadly applied to all ethnic groups at community-level, but that has special appeal for individuals of African descent who in many cases have been failed by more generic interventions that do not take into account an individual’s heritage.
Mental health services may also include collateral support and team conferences/case consultation; to help individuals manage the symptoms of their mental illness and to assist them to achieve their wellness and recovery goals.