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Racism in medicine unfortunately remains a reality for many families of color and of lower income statuses across the nation and especially here in the District of Columbia, where systemic oversights in providing proper health care for African American families have contributed to the alarming levels of COVID-19, OPIOID, & Gun Violent deaths. In Wards 7 & 8 there is a predominance of over 94% of the population who is African American. Additionally, over 50% of these families manage households and families with less than $15,000 of annual income. The Healthy D.C. & Me Leadership Coalition is a group of seven (7) community organizations, clergy, & business owners with a vested interest in restoring the proper standards of healthcare for our marginalized citizens who reside “East” of the Anacostia river in Wards 7 & 8 of the Nation’s capital.
The District’s Dr. Edwin C. Chapman, coalition advisor, says, “the D.C. government’s self-admitted, decades long inability to provide sound public health policy and services to its most needy and vulnerable constituents has to end. There is study after study that points to the need for TRUST in communities of color and the role that “cultural” competency plays in positive healthcare outcomes, yet the D.C. government repeatedly rejects the science and consistently contracts with Trump-like corporate outsiders expecting a different result. DC’s health inequities are further compounded by the “social determinants of health”, the District government’s unabated gentrification push, Black intra-classism, and the “brain draining” exodus of Black physicians which now rivals both (1) the Black Covid-19 and opioid death rates (80%) and (2) the rate of displacement of disenfranchised Black residents out of the city. All the above has exacerbated base-line anxiety and depression (PTSD or PTSS) and is directly related to increased self-medication with drugs/alcohol as well as reactive domestic and community violence”.
“Our coalition’s humble request and proactive approach at soliciting your donation commitments and partnership requests, to stand with us and the citizens of Washington D.C. is very genuine. There are too many citizens in the Nation’s Capital who are in dire need of higher standards of comprehensive healthcare resourcing and solid stakeholders who are committed to realizing a true progression of resources, services and a preservation of life, for not only today’s low-income, vulnerable citizens here in the District of Columbia but also for future generations to come.”
Rhonda L. Hamilton, Healthy D.C. & Me Leadership Coalition, President
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- Integrated Care for Depression Yields Extended Benefits, Malawi Study Shows
An NIMH-funded study showed that incorporating depression treatment into care for chronic health conditions improved well-being for both patients and their families.
Mental Health America
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- Understanding Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder as a Mother
Understanding Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder as a Mother MHA Admin Mon, 02/03/2025 - 12:14 February 03, 2025 by Kristen Abell, Director of Website and Digital Projects at Mental Health America “He’s just a picky eater,” I found myself telling just about everyone we dined with when my son was younger. “I’m sure he’ll grow out of it.” “He just is very sensitive to textures,” I explained when people were surprised he didn’t want meat. “He’s very particular—I don’t get it, but he’s still growing, so I guess it’s fine,” I responded when they questioned the lack of variety on his plate. I was often embarrassed and felt like I had failed as a mom when my son would reject all the food given to him, only to ask for chicken nuggets (again) on the way home. Two years ago, everything about how I viewed my son’s eating habits changed, though. I was diagnosed with autism and recognized my son was also likely autistic. And that’s when I began to learn about Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID, an eating disorder that is somewhat common for autistic people. ARFID tends to differ from other eating disorders in that eating challenges are rooted in factors that are not related to a desire for thinness or body […]