In Black Mental Health and Trauma we discuss how COVID , police violence and suicide combine to impact our communities. We did a show in the first year on COVID’s impact on our communities. We also covered police violence. But, in this episode we look at the impact of the COVID pandemic and police violence on our communities’ mental health. Our guest for this episode Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson. She is the interim Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science and the Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at Morehouse School of Medicine. . Dr Vinson’s published research examines inequalities in the delivery of mental health services. These inequalities include the intersections of inadequate mental health care and the criminal justice system. Those with mental health issues are particularly at risk when dealing with the police.
Violence Trauma, Racism and Mental Health
The recent police killing of Tyre Nichols reignited our concerns with, what seems to be, never ending police violence. Across social media Black people saying they are traumatized by these killings. Moreover the media’s insatiable desire to rebroadcast the killings are hurtful. At the same time, the right of Black people to exist as humans is being challenged by white supremacists. We have book banning and book burning in Florida. Attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are rampant. The House dismantled the Civil Rights Subcommittee, and we all know voting rights have been under attack for six years now. Against the backdrop of all of that, Dr. Vinson discusses the state of Black mental health in these trying times.