Professional Advocacy Through a Health Equity Lens-View Presentation

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video is a webinar on professional advocacy through a health equity lens. The speaker is Dr. Stephen Starks, a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Tillman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. The webinar discusses the historical challenges, policies, and advocacy efforts in achieving health equity in mental and behavioral health, specifically among African Americans. Dr. Starks emphasizes the role of mental health professionals, professional societies, and organized psychiatry institutions in advocating for policy changes in patient care. He highlights the importance of workforce development to ensure a diverse psychiatric workforce that can effectively address the needs of minority populations. Dr. Starks also discusses the need for community-informed policy approaches and the role of advocacy in addressing social and institutional factors that contribute to health disparities. He provides an overview of the advocacy landscape and emphasizes the importance of clearly defining priorities and goals in order to advance mental health equity. The webinar includes information on historical policies and their impact on mental health care for marginalized communities, the current challenges and opportunities in achieving health equity, and practical suggestions for engaging in advocacy efforts. The webinar is part of the Striving for Excellence series and is funded by SAMHSA in partnership with the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. The American Psychiatric Association designates this live event for a maximum of one AMA PRA Category 1 credit.

Keywords

professional advocacy

health equity

webinar

Dr. Stephen Starks

mental and behavioral health

African Americans

advocacy efforts

policy changes

workforce development