Covering Mental Health Issues in the Black Community

“Mental health is very much stigmatized in the black community,” said Dr. Annelle Primm, a board certified psychiatrist and director of the Office of Minority and National Affairs at the American Psychiatric Association, during the mental health panel of the National Association of Black Journalists health disparities conference.

African-Americans experience greater disparities when it comes to accessing mental health services. Only about one in ever three African-Americans who need treatment receive it. When they do obtain treatment, they are more likely to terminate early.

The conference, which was hosted by Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta this past January provided journalists with tips on mental health coverage while maintaining sensitivity to issues of disparities in the African-American community.

When covering mental health issues, lead with an interesting character, said Jennifer Pifer Bixler, a senior producer in the medical unit for CNN’s Atlanta-based office.

Mental health issues should also be situated in the context of overall health. “Mental illness has been characterized as something so foreign,” Primm said.

This can be changed by presenting mental health as a facet of general well-being. Stories should also stress that mental illness is treatable. Do some “positive reporting,” Primm said.

The panel encouraged the students, new graduates, and veteran reporters who attended the conference to include more messages of empowerment in their coverage. “Don’t fill your stories with such doom and gloom,” Gil Robertson said.

As a journalist and published author, Robertson’s work has appeared in such magazines as Essence, Vibe and The Source, as well as the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Primm also instructed journalists to include less sensationalism. Though a lot of stories are written on violent schizophrenics, “the more normal person has depression,” she said.

Other tips included doing more in-depth stories that allow the reader to become more educated about mental health issues. Stories should also provide people with steps of access, so they know where they can turn to for help. Along with character and anecdotal leads, multimedia stories also help hook readers.

“The Realities of Severe Mental Illness: A Media Professional’s Guide,” published by Lilly and available for free download, American Psychiatric Association, and National Institute of Mental Health are useful resources.