Think Cultural Health E-Learning Program

To further support the effort to reduce mental health disparities among minority populations, OMH will highlight its latest e-learning program: Improving Cultural Competency for Behavior Health Professionals. The free and accredited e-learning program is designed to develop behavioral health providers' knowledge and skills related to culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS). The program’s four courses will cover:

Connection between culture and behavioral health
The impact of cultural identity on interactions with clients
Ways to engage, assess and treat clients from diverse backgrounds

Behavioral health professionals can earn up to five continuing education hours at no cost and upon the completion of the self-paced program, which is accredited for counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. To learn about the e-learning program visit the OMH website.

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Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) will join partners in raising awareness about mental illness and its effects on racial and ethnic minority populations.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), minority populations in the U.S. are less likely to have access to mental health services and less likely to use community mental health services.

Visit the OMH National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month webpage for more information on resources, programs and partnerships that aim to reduce mental health disparities among minority populations.

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National Youth Sports Week (July 15-21)

National Youth Sports Week recognizes the importance of sports and how it can help young adults maintain a healthy lifestyle through physical activity.

Since April, OMH has been working with partners to raise awareness about the important role an active lifestyle plays in staying healthy. According to the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) Physical Activity Guidelines, children and adolescents ages six to 17 should do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day and muscle-strengthening at least 3 days a week.

Visit the OMH National Minority Health Month website to find resources on ways children can stay active, and stay tuned for a new strategy being developed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health to expand children’s participation in sports.

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World Hepatitis Day – July 28

On July 28, we observe World Hepatitis Day to raise awareness about viral hepatitis. This year’s theme focuses on the millions of people who have contracted viral hepatitis that have no knowledge of being infected.

In the U.S., the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than 3.5 million chronic cases of Hepatitis C in the U.S. Due to the impact of the Hepatitis virus on racial and ethnic minority communities, the Mapping Hepatitis Elimination in Action tool was created to track the growing number of hepatitis elimination projects that have been established in the United States and help connect and raise awareness of nationwide initiatives. These projects implement the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan’s call for more coordinated and collaborative efforts aimed at elimination. Stakeholders from the state level, local jurisdictions, health systems, and non-governmental organizations are leading and engaging in these efforts across a variety of settings. To learn more or to download campaign materials and resources, visit the World Hepatitis Day website.

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Knowledge Center

The OMH Knowledge Center online catalog provides access to a broad spectrum of government documents, article abstracts, and other reports related to health disparities and mental health issues for minority populations. Search here to see a summary of recent publications on this topic.

To find out more about how to use the Knowledge Center Online Library, watch this video.