2023 Grand Marshall is Former Professional Football Player and Mental Health Therapist Jay Barnett

In 2006, U.S. Congress designated July as "Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month," focused on improving mental health services for people of color through education and addressing stigma.

In honor of this month, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) established the MOORE Equity in Mental Health Initiative. Through this initiative APA celebrates every July with a series of community-wide events focused on promoting mental health equity for young people of color.

Who: This year, former professional football player and mental health therapist Jay Barnett will serve as Grand Marshal of the Moore Equity in Mental Health 5k, and join APA at more of the events. APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., and APA Chief, Diversity and Health Equity and Deputy Medical Director Regina James, M.D., are also available for interview.

What, When, & Where:

Among the events APA will host throughout the month are:

• Community Mental Health Fair, Saturday, July 8, in partnership with Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • An event to provide Washington, D.C.-, Maryland- and Virginia-area community members with mental health information and resources, connect individuals to mental health services and organizations, and foster a day of family fun with games, music, prizes and more.
• Mental Health Youth Summit, Wednesday, July 12, in partnership with D.C.’s Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute, at Catholic University (D.C.)
  • A day of programming to empower and center the voices of young people of color in Washington D.C., featuring speakers, workshops, and resources from adolescent-psychiatry experts and a talk from Mr. Barnett.
• Mental Health Roundtable Conversation, Thursday, July 27 (online & at APA headquarters in D.C.)
  • A virtual conversation, featuring Mr. Barnett and Dr. James, that will give attendees the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of mental health issues and discuss advocacy, community-based interventions, and more.
• Moore Equity in Mental Health 5K: Run, Walk or Roll (Wheaton, Maryland, and virtually anywhere
  • Mr. Barnett will serve as the Grand Marshal of a 5k charity race held in Wheaton, MD and online. Funds raised benefit the APA Foundation Moore Equity in Mental Health Community Grants Program, which supports community organizations that have undertaken innovative awareness programs and/or have provided services to improve the mental health of young people of color. APA will announce the recipients of last year’s grants in the coming weeks.

Contact: Members of the press are welcome to cover all of these events. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

American Psychiatric Association

The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 38,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.