Black youth face multiple barriers accessing mental health care, experts say

The Black Physicians' Association of Ontario is holding a conference in Toronto on Saturday to address issues related to Black youth's access to mental health care.

Black youth in Canada face multiple barriers in getting access to mental health services — and health-care providers can make the situation more difficult, experts say.

The Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario is holding a conference in Toronto on Saturday for family doctors, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other health-care providers to address those issues and help them provide more culturally-safe care.

“Black youth experience the mental health system very differently than other races,” said Dr. Mojola Omole, president of the association and a general surgeon in Toronto.

“That is in part due to anti-Black racism and implicit biases,” said Omole, who also works with the Canadian Medical Association Journal on addressing those issues in health care.

Many Black youth have experienced trauma, sometimes stemming from racism or discrimination, which can affect their mental health and the way they express themselves, she said.

“What might seem like apathy is the sign of actually having problems,” Omole said.

“There’s been a lot of adjustment made from constant PTSD and just active trauma that they don’t necessarily have the same reaction that you would see in others.”

If Black youth speak loudly, that’s often falsely perceived as aggression, Omole said, noting that’s something she’s personally observed in the hospital where she works.