California Black Media

Suicide Prevention Week: A Reminder of the Mental Health Crisis Confronting Black Californians

The conclusion of Suicide Prevention Week on Sept.16 served as a reminder, according to wellness advocates, of the ongoing mental health crisis faced by Black Californians. Between 2010 and 2019, Black Californians experienced a 31.1% increase in suicide deaths, according to the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.

Published

2 years ago

October 3, 2023

Oakland Post

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that between 2019 and 2020, non-Hispanic white people experienced a decrease in suicide rates by 4.5% while the rate for non-Hispanic Black people increased by 4%. For Black men, the numbers are more dire. Over the last two decades, the suicide rate for Black men has increased by nearly 60%, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles
California Black Media

The conclusion of Suicide Prevention Week on Sept.16 served as a reminder, according to wellness advocates, of the ongoing mental health crisis faced by Black Californians.

Between 2010 and 2019, Black Californians experienced a 31.1% increase in suicide deaths, according to the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.

For Black men, the numbers are more dire. Over the last two decades, the suicide rate for Black men has increased by nearly 60%, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Many of these suicides occur among people ages 10 to 24, prompting schools, colleges and universities to develop programs to reach out to young Black Californians dealing with mental health challenges.

The Claremont Colleges (TCC), a consortium of five private liberal arts colleges and two graduate schools located in Southern California, have implemented programs of their own.

“Across our campuses, we are continuously working to reduce or remove perceived barriers that may prevent people of color from getting services at a counseling center,” said TCC’s director of the Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services Center (MCAPS), Dr. Gary DeGroot.

DeGroot highlighted several internal obstacles, including a mistrust of treatment and therapy, a lack of confidence in the mental healthcare system’s ability to provide culturally competent care, and fear of stigma.

Dr. Adrienne Hilliard, senior staff psychologist at the Claremont Colleges, spoke about the stigma connected to treatment for mental health issues.

“I think as suicide and mental health stigma decreases, Black men are now more open to identify and report that they are in crisis and instead of silently suffering are now encouraged and willing to seek help,” said Hilliard.

She pointed to some external obstacles to seeking mental health treatment.

“Several institutional factors can contribute to the increase suicide rates for Black men: economic oppression, increased educational disparities, racism and racial trauma across all sectors, racial injustice witnessed with the recent increase in recorded murders of Black men by police and others, stigma surrounding manhood and mental illness,” said Hilliard.

Black Californians had the largest increase in firearm suicide rates since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by Injury Epidemiology.

However, TCC has seen an increase in the number of students participating in their mental health programs.

“More resources, specifically for Black folks are becoming readily available,” said Hilliard. “So, statistically there may be greater representation.”

Hilliard pointed to programs like Therapy for Black Men, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM), Black Mental Health Alliance, and The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation.

DeGroot, who also works closely with the Office of Black Student Affairs (OBSA), stated that students respond positively to having access to Black therapists, connecting with Black organizations, and attending Black student events.

Hilliard spoke on the importance of a community-based approach to mental health care for Black students on their campuses.

“Although each campus has individual resources and services, we encourage a more community-oriented mindset when it comes to our students of color,” said Hilliard. “We understand that community is extremely important for Black students, so we maintain connections with faculty and staff across departments, such as counseling, student health, housing, etc., to ensure our students are supported on every front.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

Published

3 days ago

June 20, 2025

Oakland Post

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Air Quality Board Rejects Two Rules Written to Ban Gas Water Heaters and Furnaces

The proposal would have affected 17 million residents in Southern California, requiring businesses, homeowners, and renters to convert to electric units. “We’ve gone through six months, and we’ve made a decision today,” said SCAQMD board member Carlos Rodriguez. “It’s time to move forward with what’s next on our policy agenda.”

Published

5 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Shutterstock.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌
California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

Two proposed rules to eliminate the usage of gas water heaters and furnaces by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in Southern California were rejected by the Governing Board on June 6.

Energy policy analysts say the board’s decision has broader implications for the state.

With a 7-5 vote, the board decided not to amend Rules 1111 and 1121 at the meeting held in Diamond Bar in L.A. County.

The proposal would have affected 17 million residents in Southern California, requiring businesses, homeowners, and renters to convert to electric units.

“We’ve gone through six months, and we’ve made a decision today,” said SCAQMD board member Carlos Rodriguez. “It’s time to move forward with what’s next on our policy agenda.”

The AQMD governing board is a 13-member body responsible for setting air quality policies and regulations within the South Coast Air Basin, which covers areas in four counties: Riverside County, Orange County, San Bernardino County and parts of Los Angeles County.

The board is made up of representatives from various elected offices within the region, along with members who are appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, and Senate Rules Committee.

Holly J. Mitchell, who serves as a County Supervisor for the Second District of Los Angeles County, is a SCAQMD board member. She supported the amendments, but respected the board’s final decision, stating it was a “compromise.”

“In my policymaking experience, if you can come up with amended language that everyone finds some fault with, you’ve probably threaded the needle as best as you can,” Mitchell said before the vote. “What I am not okay with is serving on AQMD is making no decision. Why be here? We have a responsibility to do all that we can to get us on a path to cleaner air.”

The rules proposed by AQMD, Rule 1111 and Rule 1121, aim to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from natural gas-fired furnaces and water heaters.

Rule 1111 and Rule 1121 were designed to control air pollution, particularly emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Two days before the Governing Board’s vote, gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa asked SCAQMD to reject the two rules.

Villaraigosa expressed his concerns during a Zoom call with the Cost of Living Council, a Southern California organization that also opposes the rules. Villaraigosa said the regulations are difficult to understand.

“Let me be clear, I’ve been a big supporter of AQMD over the decades. I have been a believer and a fighter on the issue of climate change my entire life,” Villaraigosa said. “But there is no question that what is going on now just doesn’t make sense. We are engaging in regulations that are put on the backs of working families, small businesses, and the middle class, and we don’t have the grid for all this.”

Rules 1111 and 1121 would also establish manufacturer requirements for the sale of space and water heating units that meet low-NOx and zero-NOx emission standards that change over time, according to SCAQMD.

The requirements also include a mitigation fee for NOx-emitting units, with an option to pay a higher mitigation fee if manufacturers sell more low-NOx water heating and space units.

Proponents of the proposed rules say the fees are designed to incentivize actions that reduce emissions.

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Congress Says Yes to Rep. Simon’s Disability Hiring and Small Biz Support Bill

“As the first congenitally blind person to serve in Congress, I am incredibly honored to lead and excited to celebrate the House passage of the ‘ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act,’” said Simon.

Published

6 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12). File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The House of Representatives unanimously passed the “ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act” on June 3, marking a major win for U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) and co-sponsor Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) in their bipartisan effort to promote inclusive hiring and boost small business accessibility.

The legislation establishes a federal partnership between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the National Council on Disability to help small businesses across the U.S. hire more individuals with disabilities and provide resources for disabled entrepreneurs.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of cities, making them accessible for all will maximize local economic activity and broaden the job market to everyone who is seeking to contribute to their communities,” she continued. “Investments in business and talent in our communities shouldn’t be limited to just those who are not disabled. Full stop, period.”

Since taking office in January 2025, Simon has introduced six bills. The House has approved two of them: this measure and the “Assisting Small Businesses, Not Fraudsters Act.”

Simon, a lifelong disability rights advocate and former BART board member, has focused her career on improving access, from public transit to the job market.