PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Saturday morning, the city of Portsmouth held a first-time walk for Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
The month was established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 as a way to shed light on disparities in mental health support, particularly in communities of color.
The Minority Mental Health Awareness Walk brought a small crows to the Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion, with a program that included speeches from Mayor Shannon Glover and State Sen. Louise Lucas (D), followed by a brief warm-up.
Then, it was time for the 1.3 mile walk around the city's downtown area. The event was organized by Portsmouth's Behavioral Healthcare Services office, which Dr. Nathan Woodard has led for more than two years.
“We have programs that provide mental health treatment, case management, medication management," he told News 3. "If you have Medicaid or you don’t have any other type of way to pay, then we have plans for you.”
So, in short, an affordable way to get vital care, he says. But Woodard also admits that it's been a challenge getting the word out to people in the community, which, according to the U.S. Census, is over 50 percent Black.
He says a lot of it still boils down to stigma.
"Minorities may feel as though mental health treatment isn’t something that they need, (or) in some cases is things they can’t afford or they don’t have access to," said Woodard. "We really want to focus on how they can get into treatment, how treatment can benefit them and the reason for treatment.”
Portsmouth's walk isn't the only event for mental health awareness scheduled for the weekend. Sunday morning at 9 a.m., The Goddess Walk aims to bring awareness at Mt. Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach. Sign up begins at 8:30 a.m.
