Recognizing Bipoc Mental Health Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month.

As the co-chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus and as a proud Latina myself, I know how important it is to bring culturally relevant, multilingual mental health resources directly to our communities.

Between cultural differences, stigma, and language barriers, it makes it so hard for folks to receive potentially lifesaving mental health care.

Growing up, I watched my sister fight her battle in complete silence, pushing through her pain until it was so great that she attempted suicide, something that no family should ever have to experience.

Her story is like so many others across the Nation. BIPOC and Tribal people face lower rates of mental health treatment yet face higher rates of attempted suicide--22 percent for Hispanic and Latino youth.

This is totally unacceptable, and I am committed to working across the aisle to find evidence-based solutions and to prioritize policies that will make mental health care more accessible and affordable.

Not just in July but every single day of the year, we must ensure that our BIPOC neighbors and loved ones have access to these resources and know that they are not alone in this fight. Together, we will end the stigma around mental health and put an end to this crisis.

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