Call us naive, but we envision a world where people are actually able to live to their full purpose, regardless of who they are and where they come from – and not because we believe in bootstraps and hard work. Yes, we work hard, but those without resources should not have to work harder than everyone else to not even get to the same place.
Achieving equity requires addressing systemic barriers and biases that perpetuate inequality, as well as actively working towards inclusive practices, policies, and attitudes that promote equal access and outcomes for all members of society. It shouldn’t come down to who your parents are or what neighborhood you were born into or the color of your skin or your gender or any other ways that you are similar or different from what’s considered acceptable in society.
The Journal of the American Medical Association names equity in mental health as a problem (Shim & Alegria, 2024), and identifies one of the most important ways of addressing this is by increasing the diversity of the professional workforce of clinicians.
Shim, R.S. & Alegría, M. (2024). Ending unequal treatment for people with behavioral health conditions. JAMA Psychiatry. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.3596