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Evaluation ViewAttendees 2

Schizophrenia / Psychotic Disorders
Symposia

Symposium 11 - Considerations for Decreasing Mental Health Disparities and Police Violence toward Black Individuals with Serious Mental Illness

Friday, November 15, 2024
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
Location: Regency Ballroom A, Second Floor Mezzanine, Loews Hotel
CE: 1.5

Keywords: African Americans / Black Americans, Severe Mental Illness, Culture
Level of Familiarity: Basic to moderate
Recommended Readings: Mote, J., & Fulford, D. (2021). Now is the time to support black individuals in the US living with serious mental illness—a call to action. JAMA psychiatry, 78(2), 129-130.,   Nagendra, A., Schooler, N. R., Kane, J. M., Robinson, D. G., Mueser, K. T., Estroff, S. E., ... & Penn, D. L. (2018). Demographic, psychosocial, clinical, and neurocognitive baseline characteristics of Black Americans in the RAISE-ETP study. Schizophrenia Research, 193, 64-68.,   Fuller, D. A., Lamb, H. R., Biasotti, M., & Snook, J. (2015). Overlooked in the undercounted: The role of mental illness in fatal law enforcement encounters. Treatment Advocacy Center, 1-27.,   ,  

Black individuals are at heightened risk of receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia compared to their White peers (Olbert, Nagendra, & Buck, 2018) and further may be at risk of double discrimination (i.e., being minoritized for race/ethnicity as well as for having a psychosis spectrum disorder) (Alang, 2019). In response, researchers have called on the field of psychology to amplify attention to Black individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI). Recent pieces such as Mote and Fulford’s (2021) “Now Is the Time to Support Black Individuals in the US Living with Serious Mental Illness—A Call to Action,” have called for clinical scientists to conduct research that may elucidate the experiences of Black individuals with serious mental illness living in the United States and addresses systemic racial inequities.
As such, in this symposium, our goal is to present a series of mixed method studies with the overarching theme of improving mental health inequities for Black individuals with SMI, including the reduction of police violence towards them. First, Dr. Nagendra and Ms. Crumbie will co-present two complementary studies regarding the experiences and suggestions for improvements that Black Americans with SMI offered after receiving Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) during or after their first psychotic episode. They will discuss results from interviews with 30 stakeholders in a qualitative study about how to improve care for Black Americans with CSC, as well as results from a literature review on commonly used cultural adaptations for Black communities that could be applied to CSC. Second, Dr. Altamirano will present quantitative and qualitative data from 233 Black Americans on their attitudes toward using police services in situations when a family member is experiencing a psychiatric emergency. This topic is salient because current research indicates that Black Americans are hesitant to rely on police assistance even in dire emergency mental health situations. Third, Ms. Chung-Zou will present a thematic content analysis of over 100 police officers’ reactions and suggestions for officer improvement after reading a fictional vignette, in which a police officer escalates his behavior (i.e., discharges his gun), leading to the death of a Black man with SMI. The aim of Ms. Chung-Zou’s study is to incorporate police officers’ input on how to reduce the currently high rates of violent interactions when police officers interact with Black people with SMI. Fourth, Dr. Weisman de Mamani will discuss quantitative findings from a sample of 107 police officers regarding the impact that officers’ own psychological distress, suicidal ideation/behavior and social justice attitudes have on the likelihood that they will hold stigmatizing attitudes towards individuals with schizophrenia. Because stigma towards others is highly linked to aggression, her findings may offer important insights into reducing police violence towards Black people with SMI. Finally, Dr. Penn, our Discussant, will integrate these findings and perspectives, highlighting the importance of research on Black individuals with SMI as well as discussing much needed future research directions.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. List the perspectives of stakeholders (e.g., Black individuals with mental illness) on seeking mental health services.
  2. Explain the extent to which various cultural adaptations to first-episode psychosis (FEP) care improve outcomes for Black clients.
  3. Describe how police officers may decrease the likelihood of violence in interactions with patients experiencing crisis.
  4. Identify components of police officer mental health that could be important to target in future clinical work.
  5. Explain the clinical significance of bolstering officer mental health as a way to reduce stigma/aggression toward people with SMI.

Presentations:

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 11) Understanding the Treatment Needs of Black Americans Receiving Coordinated Specialty Care

    Speaker: Arundati Nagendra, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance

    Co-author: Maia Crumbie, M.A. (she/her/hers) – University of Maryland, Baltimore County

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 11) A Qualitative Exploration of Concerns Experienced by Black Individuals When Considering Emergency Psychiatric Services

    Speaker: Olivia Altamirano, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Stanford University

    Co-author: Amy G. Weisman de Mamani, Ph.D. – University of Miami

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 11) Police Opinions Regarding Escalation and De-escalation Tactics and How to Improve Police Officer Behavior When Interacting with a Black Man Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis

    Speaker: Denise S. Chung-Zou, B.S. (she/her/hers) – University of Miami

    Co-author: Merranda Marie McLaughlin, M.S. (she/her/hers) – University of Miami

    Co-author: Salman S. Ahmad, MS – University of Miami

    Co-author: Genesis Saenz Escalante, B.A. – University of Miami

    Co-author: Amy G. Weisman de Mamani, Ph.D. – University of Miami

  • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST
    (SYM 11) An Examination of Factors Associated with Police Stigma Towards Black Individuals with Serious Mental Illness:

    Speaker: Amy G. Weisman de Mamani, Ph.D. – University of Miami

    Co-author: Salman S. Ahmad, MS – University of Miami

    Co-author: Denise S. Chung-Zou, B.S. (she/her/hers) – University of Miami

    Co-author: Merranda Marie McLaughlin, M.S. (she/her/hers) – University of Miami

    Co-author: Genesis Saenz Escalante, B.A. – University of Miami