Texas is already short on mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed counselors, nurses and social workers. But another issue compounds the problem: a disparity in diagnosing and treating the state's rapidly growing minority communities.
Among the state's current cadre of licensed psychiatrists, cultural and ethnic diversity are lacking. As of 2009, 64 percent of all psychiatrists were white, 3.5 percent were African-American, and 12.4 percent were Hispanic, according to statistics in the latest Texas State Health Plan for 2011-2016.
The Kaiser Family Foundation, in a 2010 report, found that people of color experience worse access than whites to both health care and mental health treatment. And even when patients do seek treatment, they are often unable to find providers who are sensitive to their cultural and language differences.
Staff at the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas at Austin argue that "without cultural competency in treatment, recovery and wellness can remain unreachable for many people with mental illness." The problem is apparent in Hispanic communities along the border, where residents juggle two languages and cultures. It's also prevalent in urban areas like Houston and Dallas, where there are significant Asian immigrant and black populations.
In recent years, the state has done little to increase funding for psychiatric training programs. And if Texas continues to ignore the lack of cultural understanding among mental health providers — especially as the state's minority populations continue growing — experts warn the consequences will include higher crime rates and increased health costs.
Percentages by Race of Clients Served by DSHS-Funded Community Mental Health Service Centers (2005-2011)
Scroll over the map and click on a county to see a race breakdown of the number of mental health clients since 2005. Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
White Percentage of Mental Health Clients Served by DSHS-Funded Community Mental Health Service Centers - 2011
None
0 to 25%
25% to 50%
50% to 75%
75% to 100%
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Lets not beat around the bush to much. It is not a matter about what race is more crazy or sane, the facts speak for themselves. There are challenges that any person despite of their race do face, but the problem in this state and country is that access to social services are reduced by the simple color of skin. The community does not feel welcomed or embraced, which only sinks them deeper into their problems. It's all about keeping the integrity of our communities, is that to hard to conceptualize, or is it that everyone is so closed minded in Texas?
December 22, 2011 @ 8:38 p.m.
Anya Khan
Adrian yours is a closed minded comment. To you community purity is more important the a white medical professional providing service.
December 25, 2011 @ 12:13 p.m.
David Spratt
is not surprising . Does not matter what it is, Education, public transportation, housing, food, water , air, health care, utilities, good streets, parks, law enforcement, jobs, right to vote, All minorities are deprived of anything you could possibly think of. . So where are all these hundreds of billions of dollars spent on public social services going to? White folks? I thought the White folks had everything to begin with , so why would they be using any of these Government paid for programs?
Comments (8)
Joe Estep via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And the solution for this is what?
Trey Pope via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm sure we'll see the start of reverse discrimination sometime soon in a feeble attempt to correct a misperceived disparity...
Bill Eaves via Texas Tribune on Facebook
LOL
d- s-
So everyone else read the headline on the frontpage right? "Interactive: Mental Health Shortage More Critical in Minority Communities."
Joe Estep via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I think it´s because there are more crazy white people than in the other races.
Adrian Reyna
Lets not beat around the bush to much. It is not a matter about what race is more crazy or sane, the facts speak for themselves. There are challenges that any person despite of their race do face, but the problem in this state and country is that access to social services are reduced by the simple color of skin. The community does not feel welcomed or embraced, which only sinks them deeper into their problems. It's all about keeping the integrity of our communities, is that to hard to conceptualize, or is it that everyone is so closed minded in Texas?
Anya Khan
Adrian yours is a closed minded comment. To you community purity is more important the a white medical professional providing service.
David Spratt
is not surprising . Does not matter what it is, Education, public transportation, housing, food, water , air, health care, utilities, good streets, parks, law enforcement, jobs, right to vote, All minorities are deprived of anything you could possibly think of. . So where are all these hundreds of billions of dollars spent on public social services going to? White folks? I thought the White folks had everything to begin with , so why would they be using any of these Government paid for programs?