Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up Indrias Kassaye, Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association

Wonkyung Chang, a SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association doctoral fellow, joins host Indrias Kassaye to explore the challenges that young Asian Americans face when it comes to mental health. Wonkyung speaks from her own experiences as a young immigrant navigating life in America, as well as her insights gained from research and discussions with professionals working directly with Asian-American youth.

SAMHSA Minority Fellowship at the American Nurses Association Alumna, Dr. LaKeetra Josey, who is on the frontlines of efforts to address the mental health impact of increasing substance use disorders among young people, joins host Indrias Kassaye for this exploration of emerging trends in drug use among young people. Dr. Josey spotlights alarming developments including the embrace of increasingly dangerous substances and thrill-seeking behavior – a toxic mix that is fueling rising suicide rates among youth, especially from ethnic and racial minority groups.

Public discourse in America today laments increasing polarization, a society wide retrenchment into siloed communities defined by characteristics which can include race and ethnic identity, religion, political affiliation, perspectives on gender roles and sexual orientation, and a whole host of other factors. Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up host Indrias Kassaye is joined by SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association Alumna Tricia Howard in episode 10 for an exploration of the mental health impact of these dynamics for adolescents and young people.

SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association alumnus Dr. Austin Nation joins host Indrias Kassaye for a frank discussion on the unique mental challenges that LGBTQ+ youth often face due to the intersection of their sexual orientation, gender identity and societal factors including racism, the opioid epidemic, and the impact of polarized political discourse where LGBTQ+ rights have become a prominent wedge issue.

Young people from recent immigrant backgrounds are the fastest growing segment of America’s youth population today. The majority of them are from ethnic and racial minority groups. The youth mental health crisis that has been raising alarm bells is even more intense among these foreign born and first-generation young people where rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress syndrome reach up to double that of their peers. Listen in as Faven and Indrias explore the mental health related challenges that immigrant youth are facing today – from the stress that comes with adapting to a new culture, the fallout from clashing norms and values, misunderstanding terminology, the nuances of language and how nurses can better fill the deficit in culturally competent behavioral health care providers that these adolescents and youth need to thrive.

As with any kind of illness, the proverbial adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ rings true for mental illness. If simple measures can stop what can become lifetimes of suffering, bring it on. As we continue our exploration of the mental health challenges facing adolescents and youth from ethnic and racial minorities in the United States today, our guest on this episode of the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association’s Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric nurses Speak Up! podcast, recently graduated fellow Dr. David Agor, presents his insights into what his research indicates could be the ‘Holy Grail’ for society wide mental illness prevention.