Attitudes toward human service organizations: perspectives from an urban black community

Previous research has suggested that black Americans tend to view mental health services and community mental health centers more negatively than do white Americans. This article discusses a recent study that sought to determine whether black persons possess positive or negative attitudes, what factors influence attitude formation, and the implications of these findings. Based on a sample of black residents in a city in the Northeast, the study found that fewer than 20% of black persons possess negative attitudes toward community mental health centers, that 34% possess positive attitudes, that women and married persons tend to possess more positive attitudes than do men and unmarried persons, that those with high levels of racial consciousness tend to possess more positive attitudes than those who do not, and that those with a high tolerance of substance use tend to possess more negative attitudes than do less tolerant persons. The author suggests that human service agencies should educate social and health workers to become more aware of the cultural diversity and attitudes of the black community so that they may more effectively serve black clients.