HHS, through its Office of Minority Health, announced more than $3 million in grants Sept. 21 to eight organizations for a new initiative promoting Black youth mental health.
The three-year initiative will help identify health and wellness policies that are successful in improving mental health, including suicide prevention.
"Over the past decade, Black children under age 13 years are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their White peers," said Felicia Collins, MD, deputy assistant secretary for minority health. "With this new initiative, we intend to identify specific policies that exhibit a meaningful impact on mental health for Black youth and to spread the word about these effective policy efforts."
The awardees are:
- The Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board for Montgomery County
- The Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center
- Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona
- Board of Regents, Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno
- Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies
- Minnesota Department of Health
- Morehouse School of Medicine
- Rhode Island Department of Health