By: Traci M. Murray, Ph.D., M.P.H., RN, NHDP-BC, CPH, Assistant Regional Administrator – Region VI, Office of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs and Cory M. U. Ware, MPA, Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator, African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, increased for many individuals, especially for persons of color. According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than five million (17.3 percent) African American adults reported having a mental illness. Among those with a mental illness, 1.4 million (27 percent) had a serious mental illness. A serious mental illness is a mental illness that impacts an individual’s ability to function. Nearly five million (15.4 percent) African American adults had a substance use disorder. Of these, 2.1 million (44.7 percent) used illicit drugs and 3.3 million (70.1 percent) drank alcohol.
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