As a psychiatrist at the Washington DC VA Medical Center’s Community Living Center, Chanda Corbett, PhD, cared for WWII, Korea and Vietnam era Veterans for nine years. He said they are still teaching him new things.
“Did you know that the Marine Corps just elected their first black four-star general? It took 246 years, but it finally happened in 2022. I learned about it and I will shared with Veterans at CLC because they often share these types of things with me,” said Corbett.
Between politics, current events and old war stories, the most important thing Veterans taught Corbett was this: generations of racial inequality, both inside and outside of the service, has caused a negative impact on mental health, and a complete lack of trust in the system designed to care for them. As an answer, Corbett tries to provide good correctional information and cultural care.
July has been designated as National Minority Mental Health Month to raise awareness of mental illness and improve access to mental health services for the minority population. ethnic and tribal people. In most armed forces today, 31% of service members are non-white. While anyone can experience mental health struggles, it is well documented that non-white service members are more likely to develop PTSD due to experiencing discrimination in some parts of their work.
“Many of these minorities lived in a marginalized society. They have experienced or witnessed behavior too often to believe it will be treated with respect, and they may not feel safe seeking the care,” Corbett said. “We’re working to change that.”
The Mental Health Service at the Washington DC VA Medical Center offers Stress and Disorder Treatment at the following hospitals:
“Our counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses are trained to provide traditional care. We help Veterans begin to trust the VA and open up about their experiences,” the said Corbett. “Many feel safe with us, and we hope that other hospitals develop relationships of trust with where they receive care.”
The Diversity Committee of Mental Health Services strives to share their knowledge of culturally appropriate care with all staff by providing:
“Warriors of color need friends. They need to believe that we know their service and sacrifice and that we are here to support them,” Corbett said. “They need to have the the best when it comes to health care, and they also deserve respect. That’s how we build a better future together.”
For more information about VA’s Minority Health Care Services, click here: Minority Mental Health Month – Mental Health (va.gov)
