FMU looks to tackle mental health stigma in Black community
MIAMI GARDENS - In the Black community there is a stigma surrounding mental health, but at Florida Memorial University they're looking to combat that and give students resources to address it.
Resident assistants (RA's) tend to be on the front lines of student interaction. Several sat down with CBS News Miami's Chelsea Jones and emphasized the significance of paying attention to the signs of someone dealing with mental health issues.
Charlissia Ferguson, a senior resident assistant, said it's a topic that should be talked about more often.
"People think mental health is just the brain, but it affects so much more. You can get sick, people die from having a mental health disorder," she said.
In a study done by the American College Health Association last year, 77 percent of students said they experienced moderate to serious psychological distress. In February, FMU was hit with a traumatic experience of its own when two students were killed in a hit-and-run.
Dontaejaha Rollins, a sophomore resident assistant, said she noticed changes in how students were interacting. All of the resident assistants that spoke with CBS News Miami acknowledged the necessity of building relationships with students so that they can easily identify red flags.
When it comes to dealing with mental health, outside factors also play a role. From race to socioeconomic status to simply what's going on at home. Cephas Pinder said that a lot of the time Black men are taught not to be vulnerable.
"It really isn't a safe space or at least we assume that it isn't a safe space for us to be vulnerable. We have a lot of responsibility to take control, be the leader, and set a standard. So that's the role we take " he said.
As a native of the Bahamas, Pinder said he carries the financial load for his schooling here in the states and it creates a lot of added stress for him. That stress he believes is being seen in other Black men too.
The American College Health Association study found that 46 percent of students in college consider their mental health to be poor, and of that, only 20 percent said they sought help at school.
That is why Reandria Mables, a senior psychology student, chose to pursue her field. She knows that Black families endure many struggles from systemic issues to mental health and everything in between.
"It's just so much that goes on within our households alone that needs to be built back up from the ground and I want to be that person," she explained.
FMU has many resources like the counseling center, psychiatric evaluation, crisis management, workshops, and even social issue advocacy for things like sexual assault or stalking. All to help in the fight for better mental health.
"A lot of people don't understand, someone that's coming in with a broken leg they have health issues that are being met. So, someone else that's dealing with depression or anxiety, that is a form of disability, that is a form of health issues, and nobody should turn that person away and not provide services as well," said Darlyne Sherian-Werner, FMU's Accessibility Service Coordinator.
Eighty-nine percent of students who face academic troubles say that it takes a toll on their mental health. In last year's College Student Mental Health Report. of those surveyed 81 percent said they knew that their school offered mental health resources but less than half felt like their schools were doing enough.