White House Holds Roundtable on Black Men’s Mental Health
WASHINGTON — The White House Office of Public Engagement last week convened a roundtable on the administration’s efforts to support Black men’s mental health.
The event was moderated by Charisse Jones of USA Today, and featured actors Courtney B. Vance and Lamman Rucker; recording artist Raheem DeVaughn; best-selling author and licensed psychologist Dr. Robin L. Smith; and Dr. Walker Tisdale, a public health analyst from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Prior to the session, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted that President Joe Biden has made tackling the nation’s mental health crisis a priority of his administration, especially when it comes to ensuring access to culturally competent care.
“In 2022, [the president] released a comprehensive mental health strategy designed to strengthen system capacity, connect more people to care and create healthier environments,” Jean-Pierre said.
“To support this work and help advance how we transform mental health in the United States, the Biden-Harris administration launched the 988 hotline, expanded community mental health centers and established new Centers of Excellence to help promote mental health,” she said.
During the roundtable, Vance and recording artist DeVaughn spoke of their personal experiences in this area, and called for increased support for Black men dealing with mental health challenges.
For his part, Tisdale stressed the need for robust solutions in addressing the mental health crisis.
Jean-Pierre said the administration will continue to invest critical resources to expand mental health and substance use support to all Americans.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
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