African American consumers' perceptions of racial disparities in mental health services

In 2001, former Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, reported that minorities in the United States suffer a disproportionate burden of mental illness because of a large gap between the need for mental health services and the services actually provided. While research findings and policy analyses show that racial disparities exist, there has been little exploration of how minority recipients of mental health services perceive such disparities. This paper reports findings from a study using consumer focus groups with African Americans to explore how African American mental health consumers perceive and personally experience the impact of racial disparities in accessing and utilizing mental health services. Findings showed that the consumers voiced similar concerns to those reported by the Surgeon General; however, they also identified problems in communicating with providers as a major obstacle to seeking services and engaging in treatment. The consumers suggested a number of specific recommendations to improve services in their community.