Culturally Competent Work with African American Families

Transcription

1 Culturall Competent Work with African American Families New Jerse Youth Advocate Programs When working with African American families we must consider the current state of Blacks in America as a whole as well as qualit of life issues some African American families/communities are facing such as: Educational opportunit Jobs and income securit Crime & safet Famil stabilit Health & access to care

2 Is it the best of times? The countr elected its first Black president. 65% of Blacks voted in % of Blacks 25 and older have at least a high school diploma and 20% have at least a Bachelor s degree. 2.5 million Blacks were in college in 2008, double the number 15 ears earlier. Oprah, LeBron, Ja Z and others smbolize rising Black wealth. or the worst of times? The gains of suburban Blacks have not been matched in the urban core. Black children are falling behind in education. Blacks are far more likel to be unemploed than their White peers. Blacks are far more likel to die of treatable diseases, and preventable ones like AIDS. Blacks are far more likel to come in contact with the criminal justice sstem than their White peers. *2010 Urban League Report

3 A Young Population The Black population of the U.S. as of Jul 1, 2008: 41.1 million 31% were ounger than 18 (compared to 25% of all Americans) Just 8% were 65 and older The outh of the Black communit compounds the risk and the opportunit. When oung people fail, the communit falters. Fift-three percent of all blacks live in the South, 37 percent live in the Northeast and Midwest, mostl in metropolitan areas, and 10 percent live in the West Education African American outh as well as Hispanic outh are an average of two to three ears behind white students of the same age 48% African American outh are below basic level knowledge in math and reading as compared to 17% of white outh On average onl 50% of African American outh gradate High School as scheduled * McKinse & Compan, National Assessment of Educational Progress

4 Education-Resources, not race Multiple studies have found that the achievement gap is not about race, it s about resources. Black students are more likel to live in lower income communities, with fewer propert tax dollars for school funding; Urban and lower income school districts have difficult attracting the highest qualit teachers; Black and urban students are more likel to be taught b less inexperienced, lower paid instructors than their White and suburban peers. Jobs and Income Securit The median income for Black households was $34,218 in 2008, the lowest of an group. A single Black woman with children had a median annual income of $25,958 in One in five Black families lives in povert. Four out of 10 Black families headed b a single mother are poor. Median wealth of married or cohabitating White women: $167,500 as compared with married or cohabitating Black women: $31,500 According to the Department of Labor over 14% of African American adults are unemploed and over 40% of African American Teens are unemploed * Black Unemploment Is Not News article b Joel Drefuss, The Root 2/7/2010, U.S. Census Bureau

5 Crime & Safet The Criminal Justice Sstem On average 1 in 21 African American men is incarcerated currentl in the US as compared with 1 in 138 Caucasian men Studies show Black court defendants are: More likel than White defendants to be represented b a public defender Less likel to receive adjudication or a plea bargain More likel to receive long or maximum sentences More likel to receive the death penalt in murder cases More likel as juveniles to receive adult sentences *Bureau of Justice Statistics The war on drugs Of the 211,338 Americans currentl serving time in federal prison, 57.9% are White, 38.5 % are Black, and 33% are Hispanics of varing race. 93.5% are men. 51.3% are incarcerated for drug offenses, versus 2.8% for homicide *Federal Bureau of Prisons

6 Blacks are the primar victims of violent crime In 2008, the crime rate against Blacks was 26 per 1,000 persons age 12 or older; versus 18 per 1,000 for Whites. Blacks were victims of rape/sexual assault, robber, and aggravated assault at rates higher than those for Whites. In 2007, 49% of murder victims were Black, 47% were White, and 2% were Asians, Pacific Islander, and Native Americans.* *Includes Black and White Hispanics. *Bureau of Justice Statistics Famil Stabilit: Marriage and Dual Parent Homes While 50% of all Americans were married in 2008, the figure for Blacks was 30%, despite nearl identical divorce rates. 47% of Black Americans have never been married, versus 30% of Whites. 29.3% of Black households with children are headed b a single woman, versus 12.5% for White households. 13.2% of Black households with children are headed b a married couple, versus 21.4% for White households. *U.S. Census Bureau

7 Famil Stabilit: Grandparents 6.2 African American Households are comprised of famil members that include at least one grandparent, this is twice the national average of white families In half of these families the grandparents are the primar care takers of the children *U.S. Census Bureau Health and Access to care 19.1% of Black Americans had no health insurance in Blacks represent 13% of the U.S. population, but 30% of the uninsured. Combined, Blacks and Hispanics represent approximatel half of the nation s uninsured. 1 in 4 Black Americans are covered b Medicaid, including 44 percent of Black children. Even as the HIV/AIDS rate declines nationwide, Black America faces a growing epidemic. Blacks have 7 times the new infection rate of Whites, and the HIV-related deaths are highest among Blacks Centers for Disease Control, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

8 Health and Access to care: Mental Health In 2006 Suicide was the third leading cause of death among African American outh (ages 10-19), after homicides and accidents, et completed suicide rates were the lowest among African American females as compared with all other comparisons of other ethnic groups Firearms were the predominant method of suicide among African Americans regardless of gender and age, accounting for roughl 52% of all suicides. American Association of Suicidolog Mental Health continued 63 percent of African Americans believe that depression is a personal weakness, this is significantl higher than the overall surve average of 54 percent. Onl 31 percent of African Americans believed that depression was a health problem. African Americans were more likel to believe that depression was normal than the overall surve average. Barriers to the treatment of depression cited b African Americans included: Denial (40 percent) Embarrassment/shame (38 percent) Don t want/refuse help (31 percent) Lack mone/insurance (29 percent) Fear (17 percent) Lack knowledge of treatment/problem (17 percent) Hopeless (12 percent) *Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicit Supplement to the 1999 U.S. Surgeon General s Report on Mental Health

9 Health and Access to care: Mental Health African Americans were less likel to take an antidepressant for treatment of depression; onl 34 percent would take one if it were prescribed b a doctor. One stud reported that over 25% of African American outh exposed to violence met diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). African Americans of all ages are under represented in outpatient treatment but over-represented in inpatient treatment. Few African-American children receive treatment in privatel funded pschiatric hospitals, but man receive treatment in publicl funded residential treatment centers for emotionall disturbed outh *Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicit Supplement to the 1999 U.S. Surgeon General s Report on Mental Health Thank You! Questions or Comments????

10 Resources Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicit Supplement to the 1999 U.S. Surgeon General s Report on Mental Health American Association of Suicidolog Centers for Disease Control, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies US Census Bureau Bureau of Justice Statistics Federal Bureau of Prisons Black Unemploment Is Not News article b Joel Drefuss, The Root 2/7/2010, U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Urban League Report