Race in the mental health system

In 2017/2018, black men were four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than their white counterparts. And the risk of psychosis in the black Caribbean population is estimated to be nearly seven times higher than in the white population. These inequalities may be the result of many connected factors, including racism, economic inequality and poverty, and mental health stigma, and should be of concern to any social worker working in the mental health system.

This session will cover:

• The inequalities that exist for black, Asian and minority ethnic people accessing the mental health system – particularly black African and Caribbean men.
• The disproportionate detentions of African and Caribbean men under the Mental Health Act.
• The lessons for social workers and Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) from research with African and Caribbean men, and how these can be applied to social work practice.

Professor Frank Keating, professor of social work and mental health, Royal Holloway University