Taking the Next Step: Bottom‐Up and Top‐Down Approaches for Mental Health Equity

ABSTRACT There have been persistent mental health disparities for Black and African American communities in the United States. For instance, Black communities continue to have unmet mental health needs compared to other groups and may not receive adequate support and quality treatment. These discrepancies in treatment and support drive mental health inequities, which have rippling social and economic consequences. To inform research and policy that improves mental health equity among Black communities, there is a need for bottom‐up and top‐down approaches that are driven by community members and policymakers, respectively. This paper aims to (1) briefly highlight examples of top‐down efforts and bottom‐up approaches and (2) provide specific, actionable policy recommendations based on empirical scholarship. Proposed strategies include public initiatives, professional development in mental health fields, and future research endeavors, with discussion of the current sociopolitical context.