Race Matters Behavioral Health Sub Group June 6, 2006 Meeting Notes

Members:
Ron Lucero, PED 222-4751 ronm.lucero@state.nm.us
Jamal Martin, OAAA/UNMNSC 222-9497 ansaru@att.net
Linda Ortega Youth Build/RFK Charter ldortega@cnm.edu
Louise Kahn, UNM College of Nursing 379-3429 lkahn@salud.unm.edu
Eric Chrisp UNM/CHPDP 272-9840 echrisp@salud.unm.edu
Carla Chavez, NMVC 244-9505 x35 cchavez@nmvoices.org
Rowan Wymark, APS/Alb Teachers Federation rowanwymark@comcast.net
Stephanie Gabriel, NMVC 244-9505 x33 sgabriel@nmvoices.org

• Notes taken by Stephanie Gabriel- please notify me of any errors:
• We need training for the Children's Cabinet (well all policy makers) on racism
• Need statements that structural racism exists and is a problem
• Racism creates behavioral health problems
• The people here in this room (the Race Matters follow-up meeting) are all coming from different places, we need to do our own work on our own racism. We should all go through anti-racism training
• It's not just Access to behavioral healthcare- Quality is an issue too.
• Worried about Fed law changing who can diagnose behavioral health problems in children- teachers allowed?
• Behavioral health evaluation instruments are biased
• Make a statement about race and mental health and stigma an issue (did I get this right?)
• In NM an alternative to Behavioral health treatment for youth is incarceration
• We need to make a statement that there is zero tolerance for racism - but we need to be specific about what that means
• Expose the white privilege basis of laws, policies and traditions
• NM patron system still exists
  • Clarification: another person commented that the patron system exists all over the country - just called something different
• Need to look at placement of community schools and potential aide in our work
• What is the relationship between racism and behavioral health?
• What services might mitigate problems
• We need to prevent adverse childhood events, i.e. poverty
• Where are the points of intervention for behavioral health issues
• Can't fix everything right now. What do we do in the mean time?
• What are the unintended consequences of School based Health care- like having state hold jurisdiction and power over services (PED, DOH, etc) -need checks and balances
• Cultural identity and racial pride not addressed in schools until mid and high school
• Building Healthy communities- what services are we doing TO them? Should we? What are we doing for them? What are we not acknowledging that they can do for themselves or with assistance?
• Youth blamed their own community for behavioral health gaps not the dominate culture
• Need to make opportunities available to kids on panel to hear messages other than dominate culture message so they don't balm their own tribe
• Disruptive innovations- Jamal can you expand on this??
• Need advocacy
• What are other states doing? Can we ask Ono Porter to tell us about Wisconsin (she presented at NMPHA) or Jerry Ortiz y Pino
• People of Color need to be trained as behavioral health workers
• Need to engage youth in health care systems as youth
• Need to discuss Power as an issue with racism
• Request to strike the word "Minority" from the discussion
• Feds distribute services around racial counts not ethnicities. Problem when they characterize most Hispanics as "white"
• Jamal will email the group's summary statement for distribution to whole group