Striving for Equal Access to Health

On average, men in the United States die nearly six years earlier than women and are at higher risk for many serious diseases. Furthermore, only about a quarter of African Americans seek mental health treatment, compared to 40% of white Americans. Unsettling data also shows that almost 10% of Black people in the U.S. do not have health insurance, compared to 5.2% of non-Hispanic white people.

This disparity indicates unequal access to health care, and the Chatham County Regional Community Collaborative and Gateway Community Service Board’s (GCSB) Symposium aimed to address this issue.

“Connection to Community and Care”

The Symposium, themed “Connection to Community and Care”, was co-organized by the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition (CGIC) and hosted at the Georgia Southern University – Armstrong Campus. Participants included a diverse group of community members such as law enforcement personnel, mental health providers, and community leaders.

Phylicia Anderson, LCSW, director of Outreach, GCSB, underlined the mission of the Symposium: “Raising awareness about men’s mental health is crucial, as men face unique challenges and stigmas that can prevent them from seeking the help they need. By fostering open conversations and providing accessible resources, we aim to support men in taking proactive steps toward their mental well-being.”

Passing the Baton to Community Leaders

The keynote speaker, Lorenzo Lewis, founder of The Confess Project, spoke of their grassroots movement empowering barbers to become mental health advocates for men of color. The goal is to “empower those communities, give them a voice and give them the tools and skills. We are focused on training everyday people to be mental health advocates for themselves, their loved ones and their neighbors”, he said.

Lewis’s initiative rightly understands that community members, like barbers who have one-on-one relationships with people, are catalysts for change. Lizann Roberts, CGIC’s executive director, echoed this, affirming that “Barbers and other small-business owners are the key in this process. They already know how to listen, but with this training, they are learning they can also guide and support.”

The events of the Symposium underscored the importance of a community-oriented approach in addressing men’s mental health, setting a stellar example for initiatives nationwide.