Racial, Cultural and Sociopolitical Disparities in Mental Health Administration in the United States

Abstract

Despite significant advances in the health care industry, recent research has revealed alarming disparities in the availability, access, and quality of health care for minorities. According to the 2001 Surgeon Generals report published by the USDHHS, even if minority groups have comparable access, socioeconomic status and insurance coverage, they are still likely to receive less, or inferior care. This paper discusses the concept of culturally sensitive mental health counseling and its feasibility, in light of the monocultural manner in which cultural and criminal subgroups are typically handled.