Our African and Caribbean mental health service, IRIE Mind, was in the spotlight last week thanks to a feature in an article by The Voice – the only British national Black newspaper in the UK

The article highlights community organisations across the country working to combat the inequalities black people face in mental health services – with Black men being more likely than people of other ethnic backgrounds to be diagnosed with severe mental health problems. The article features an interview with Nichola Lauder, the director of IRIE Mind and champion of Black mental health services

Nichola outlines the need to provide a community-based approach when it comes to providing mental health support to people of African and Caribbean heritage; as well as having a staff that reflects the cultural background of its clients

Nichola goes on to highlight how culturally-specific services are often perceived as being ‘unprofessional’, when culturally, it’s a different approach from the mainstream services, which are more often catered to the needs of those who are not BAME

IRIE Mind is part of Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest – providing culturally-informed mental health and wellbeing support. If you, or someone you know, is looking for help, you can make a referral online by clicking here