Lisa Gomez Explains How EBSA Is Addressing Barriers to Minority Mental Health

“Our studies show that if you are a White person looking for [mental health] help and you’re looking for someone who you might feel more comfortable with, you have a 74% chance of finding someone that is like that, as opposed to minorities who have a much lower chance of finding a provider that they can more closely relate to,” Lisa M. Gomez, assistant secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), US Department of Labor, said in an interview.

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is significant not only in health care, but also as it relates to health insurance coverage. This month underscores the critical need to address mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities, an area where EBSA plays a vital role through its oversight of employment-based health plans.

Disparities in Mental Health Care Access

A stark reality in mental health care is the disparity in access and treatment among minority populations, Gomez explained. Although the prevalence of mental health conditions and substance use disorders is similar between minority and nonminority populations, minorities face significant barriers to accessing care. Statistics reveal that only 1 in 5 women from minority groups seek mental health treatment.

White adults who reported fair or poor mental health were 50% more likely to say they received mental health services in the past 3 years compared with Black (39%) and Hispanic adults (36%), according to a recent KFF survey.¹ Approximately half of all adults across racial and ethnic groups (53%) who reported receiving mental health services stated they were very or extremely helpful.

Gomez shared an overview of the barriers to mental health care for minorities:

• Health coverage: Many minority group individuals either lack health coverage or possess insufficient coverage, hindering their ability to seek necessary mental health services.
• Cultural barriers and stigma: Cultural perceptions and stigma surrounding mental health care are prevalent in minority communities. Mental health issues are often viewed differently from physical health problems, contributing to reluctance to seek care.
• Provider accessibility: Finding a mental health provider within a reasonable distance can be challenging. Additionally, there is a shortage of providers who share the same racial or ethnic background as minority patients, which can deter individuals from seeking care.
• Comfort and relatability: People generally feel more comfortable discussing mental health issues with providers who are similar to them in race, gender, or language.

The physician shortage that the US is currently experiencing, particularly among physicians from minority groups, is one of the key drivers contributing to the inaccessibility to care faced by minority patients. A senate hearing led by the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions recently hosted a panel of health care providers to dissect this issue, tracing it back to the barriers inhibiting minority individuals from pursuing medical education.²

“There are barriers, as far as being able to access coverage, it may be difficult to find a provider within a reasonable distance from your house when you're looking for a mental health provider as opposed to a physical health provider. And we also find barriers in accessing providers that someone may be more comfortable seeing,” Gomez said. “It can be very difficult to come to terms with the fact that you may have a mental health condition or just maybe, at the time living with a condition that you want to see a doctor for, and often people feel more comfortable talking with a person—particularly in the area of mental health—who looks like you, is of the same race, is of the same gender, speaks your language.”

The EBSA's primary mission is to protect the health and retirement benefits of employees, encompassing those provided through their own employment or that of a spouse or parent, Gomez explained. One crucial aspect of this mission involves ensuring that employment-based health plans offer mental health care on par with physical health care in accordance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Despite this, she explained, many individuals do not associate the Department of Labor with their health coverage, which is a gap EBSA aims to bridge by raising awareness and offering accessible resources.

The EBSA website provides publications, tools, videos, and educational information that outlines the rights employees are entitled to in their health care coverage which also serves as a guide for employers and providers to ensure compliance. Additionally, EBSA benefits advisors are available to answer any questions online or via telephone.

References

1. Panchal N, Hill L, Artiga S, Hamel L. Racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care: findings from the KFF survey of racism, discrimination and health. KFF. May 23, 2024. Accessed July 24, 2024. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-mental-health-care-findings-from-the-kff-survey-of-racism-discrimination-and-health/

2. Grossi G. Panel addresses minority physician shortage, maternal health at senate committee hearing. AJMC. May 23, 2024. Accessed July 24, 2024. https://www.ajmc.com/view/panel-addresses-minority-physician-shortage-maternal-health-at-senate-committee-hearing