Multicultural mental health services: projects for minority ethnic communities in England.
Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities form 7.8% of the total population of the U.K. Many of these communities face a variety of disadvantages when they access, or are forced to access, statutory mental health services under the National Health Service. Efforts have been made to address these problems by developing projects both within statutory mental health services and in the non-governmental ('voluntary') sector. This article describes some of these projects located in England, drawing out the themes and models that underlie their approaches, and discusses the lessons that can be learned from the U.K. experience.
Fernando
Suman
S
European Centre for Study of Migration and Social Care, Beverley Farm, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK. sumanfernando@btinternet.com
D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004739:England; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013222:State Medicine; D035862:Vulnerable Populations