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Category: Anti-racism

Racism as trauma: A pediatric mental health perspective
Racism as trauma: A pediatric mental health perspective

February 15, 2024

After learning about the alarming rise in suicide rates among Black children and adolescents, Brittainy Erby, MD, set out to understand the impact of racial trauma and how to improve pediatric patient care.

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Helping African-American children with mental health issues
Helping African-American children with mental health issues

February 16, 2022

Last week I saw two children, both African American, who were having suicidal thoughts. In neither case did the child or the parents come in asking for mental health support. One, a 13-year-old girl I’ll call Simone, wrote on her PHQ-9 depression screener that she had attempted suicide. In our interview, she revealed that she had had sex with a man she met online and that she had been cutting herself. Yet the reason she and her parents came in was an ADHD medication check! Pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) need to realize that African-American families may not seek help for mental health issues. The reasons for the lack of disclosure are rooted in the stigma around mental health in the African-American community. The stigma, in turn, is rooted in the trauma associated with being Black in America.

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Helping AAPI patients cope with racism
Helping AAPI patients cope with racism

April 29, 2021

Discrimination and hate crimes against people of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. You may be wondering how you can help your AAPI patients cope with feelings that arise from experiences of racism.

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Back to school for special populations
Back to school for special populations

March 22, 2021

Although some schools have been open in person for months, some larger districts are just beginning to welcome students back on campus. Children, families, educators, and medical professionals have mixed feelings. To help you support different patient populations as they return to school, we talked to Jennifer Walton, MD, MPH, a co-author of a call for an “URGENT Coordinated Effort to Re-Open Schools” by the National Medical Association (NMA). Dr. Walton is chair of the NMA’s Pediatric Section, an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at The Ohio State University, and a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

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How to talk with patients about racism
How to talk with patients about racism

June 29, 2020

Once pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) recognize the importance of having conversations about race with their patients and families, the next question is how to begin.

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Your patients need you to talk about race
Your patients need you to talk about race

June 23, 2020

“The first thing clinicians need to know about racism and discrimination is how important it is to talk about it.” Open, honest, and effective conversations about race and racism are crucial to young people’s mental health.

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August 7, 2026

Helping children with mental health concerns can be complex, but you don't have to navigate it alone. REACHing Solutions is The REACH Institute's podcast for pediatric clinicians, featuring practical conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to…

August 3, 2026

A look inside recent REACH trainings, where clinicians and health care systems are learning together, building practical skills, and strengthening their ability to support children and families.

July 29, 2026

Join thousands of clinicians who have strengthened their confidence and expanded their skills through REACH's evidence-based mental health trainings.

July 28, 2026

What’s one of the most important clinical skills for improving child mental health care? According to REACH founder Peter S. Jensen, MD, it’s measurement-based care. By combining standardized rating scales with clinical judgment and meaningful conversations…

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