Collectively Centers on Equity
Collectively we can solve complex challenges…equitably.
Disparities exist in the behavioral health system as African Americans in the United States are disproportionately affected by mental illness; and in a survey of 4.8 million African Americans with mental illness, nearly 70% did not receive treatment (SAMHSA, 2018).
In order to create equity in the behavioral health system it is necessary to understand preferences and help-seeking behaviors of Black and Brown individuals. There is documented evidence that access to social support, concrete supports and social networks are necessary components that equitably improve mental health at the individual and community level (Saegert & Carpiano, 2017).
“There comes a point when we need to stop pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in”
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Equitable Advancement of Support for Everyone (E.A.S.E.)
Equitable Advancement of Support for Everyone (E.A.S.E) was developed to address this important need and is a competency-based modular curriculum. The core curriculum focuses on assisting professionals in understanding the value of culture as a central component to engaging social support. The training includes structural barriers in the behavioral health field and helps participants understand how these barriers create disparities and poor outcomes. E.A.S.E. incorporates input from families experiencing mental health conditions and how they prefer to have their needs met through less formal treatment options. The training also focuses on trauma informed care, engagement and the components of social support with in-depth instruction on skill building around how to assist families in accessing and using social support and social capital. E.A.S.E. also incorporates a strong coaching component to ensure that the skills taught are being incorporated into the support process.
Outline of Training Curriculum
E.A.S.E. is designed as a module curriculum and can be provided as a comprehensive training event or stand-alone modules. The modules included in the training include:
- Introduction
- Structural Racism in the Behavioral Health field
- Inequities in Behavioral Health
- Unpacking Racism
- How Families want their Behavioral Health Needs met
- Understanding Trauma
- Engaging with All Families
- Social Support Overview
- Practical Skills to Developing Social Support
- Social Capital
- Self- Care and Coaching
Training Provision
E.A.S.E. is available in person as well as virtually and is typically provided as a 12-hour event. The training is provided by a diverse dyad of trainers and is not provided to more than 20 participants at one time. All coaching sessions are conducted with no more than 10 participants per cohort.
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