COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new study is being conducted in Ohio to quantify the disparities in access to behavioral healthcare for different racial and ethnic groups. The study, called “Behavioral Health in Ohio: Improving Data, Moving Toward Racial and Ethnic Equity,” is being conducted by a partnership of Central State University, the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition, Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence, and Ohio University. The study will be released in four parts throughout 2023, with the first installment providing an overview of the issues and subsequent installments focusing on workforce, treatment, and funding.
Joan Englund, the Executive Director of the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition, said, “The findings from each one will provide stakeholders with essential resources for building a stronger, more equitable behavioral healthcare system in Ohio.” The first installment, released on January 18, revealed barriers to care that marginalized individuals experience, including racism, bias, and stigma.
The study also provides recommendations to improve data collection, make interventions culturally competent, train elected officials in cultural competency, and establish a task force to hold stakeholders accountable for reporting positive change. Tracy Plouck, Assistant Clinical Professor at Ohio University, hopes that the findings and recommendations of the study will be used by policymakers and advocates to bring about change and improve access and quality of care for those who need it.
