The Town Hall Discusses Dismantling Mental Health Stigmas – The Fordham Ram

Report on Civic Discourse Panel Regarding Mental Health and Sustainable Development Goals

Event Overview and Alignment with SDG 3

On October 27, The Town Hall’s Civic Discourse series hosted a panel discussion focused on dismantling mental health stigmas. This initiative directly supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, with a specific target (3.4) to promote mental health. The event was moderated by Laura J. Downey of WebMD and featured a panel of experts:

• Maggie Hureau, Director of Social Impact at Mammoth Brands
• Darcy Gruttadaro, Chief Innovation Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Wenhua Lu, Ph.D., Associate Medical Professor at the City University of New York School of Medicine

The discussion was opened by Yale University student Giorgio Sylvestre, who emphasized that mental health is a matter of visibility and community support, stating, “Mental health is about being seen, being loved, knowing you are not alone.”

Analysis of Stigmas as Barriers to SDG 3 and SDG 10

Cultural and Gender-Based Disparities

Panelists identified specific stigmas that create significant barriers to achieving Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) and contribute to inequalities (SDG 10). These varied across different communities:

• Asian-American Communities: Dr. Lu highlighted the pressure for perfection placed on children, which frames mental health struggles as a character flaw rather than a treatable condition.
• Men’s Mental Health: Ms. Hureau discussed specific stigmas impacting men, which impede their willingness to seek help, a challenge directly related to achieving Gender Equality (SDG 5) within health frameworks.
• Media Portrayals: Ms. Gruttadaro noted that historical representations of mental illness in media have embedded harmful stereotypes in public perception, hindering progress on SDG 3.

Data on Mental Health Challenges

Quantitative data presented during the discussion underscored the urgency of addressing these barriers. Research from Harry’s men’s care initiatives, cited by Ms. Hureau, revealed that while 75% of men acknowledge a mental health crisis, only 50% identify a personal need for support, and less than one-third actively seek help. This gap highlights a critical failure in promoting well-being. Dr. Lu added that for many adolescents, mental health issues that begin in middle school are dismissed as “just stress,” delaying necessary treatment and undermining the goals of SDG 3.

Strategies for Advancing Global Health and Education Goals

The Role of Education and Early Intervention (SDG 4 & SDG 3)

A primary strategy discussed was the integration of mental health literacy into education systems, a direct link to achieving Quality Education (SDG 4) as a foundation for well-being (SDG 3). Ms. Gruttadaro reported that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, and 75% by age 25. In response, curricula are being developed for middle school and even elementary grades (three to five) to build foundational knowledge and resilience. Panelists stressed that early, proactive conversations and “regular check-ins” are vital preventative measures.

Promoting Culturally Competent Care and Partnerships (SDG 10 & SDG 17)

To reduce inequalities (SDG 10) in mental healthcare, the panel advocated for culturally competent care. Key strategies include:

1. Accessible Communication: Dr. Lu emphasized that care is only effective when communicated in a language and context that individuals, particularly from immigrant families, can understand.
2. Integration of Cultural Practices: Ms. Hureau noted that many communities have long-established forms of healing that should be recognized and scaled, rather than dismissed by formal mental health systems.
3. Representative Support Systems: Ms. Gruttadaro highlighted the importance of representation among care providers, citing partnerships with organizations like the Divine Nine sororities as a successful model for building community-level trust. This approach exemplifies the collaborative spirit of Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).

Conclusion: A Call for Collective Responsibility and Partnership

Actionable Steps for Community Involvement

The panel concluded by emphasizing that achieving SDG 3 requires collective action and that specialized knowledge is not a prerequisite for participation. The audience was encouraged to contribute through simple, yet impactful, actions:

• Engage with existing community and organizational networks.
• Utilize everyday language to ask about well-being and show support.
• Adapt communication styles, such as using text messages, to create more comfortable spaces for discussion.
• Become familiar with reliable online resources that list warning signs of mental distress.

The overarching message was a call for robust partnerships (SDG 17) between nonprofits, industry, and community members. Building trust and fostering collaboration are essential to dismantle stigma and create a society where mental health and well-being are prioritized for all.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The entire article is centered on mental health, which is a fundamental component of this goal. It discusses dismantling stigmas, promoting well-being, preventing suicide, and ensuring access to care, all of which are central to SDG 3.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article connects to this goal through its discussion on the importance of early education in mental health. It specifically mentions the development of a “curriculum for middle school mental health literacy… including material designed for grades three to five,” which aims to equip young learners with essential knowledge for their well-being.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This goal is addressed through the specific focus on how mental health stigmas uniquely affect different genders. The article highlights a “focus on men’s mental health” and the data showing that men are less likely to seek help, which points to the need to address gender-specific barriers to health and well-being.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article highlights disparities in mental health experiences and access to care among different cultural and racial groups. It discusses the need for “culturally competent care” and addresses the specific challenges faced by the “Asian-American community,” “Black youth,” and “immigrant families,” thereby linking directly to the goal of reducing inequalities.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The conclusion of the panel discussion explicitly calls for multi-stakeholder collaboration. The article states that panelists “emphasized the need for collaboration between nonprofits and industry to achieve lasting change,” which is the core principle of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being

   This is the most relevant target. The entire discussion aims to “promote mental health and well-being” by dismantling stigmas, encouraging open conversations (“regular check-ins”), and improving help-seeking behaviors. The mention of an attendee’s concern about “adolescent suicide rates” also directly connects to the target’s aim to reduce premature mortality.

2. Target 4.7: Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills for sustainable lifestyles and well-being

   The article’s reference to the development of a “curriculum for middle school mental health literacy” is a direct action towards achieving this target. This educational initiative is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and manage their mental health.

3. Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social inclusion of all, irrespective of race, ethnicity, or other status

   The discussion on providing “culturally competent care” and sending “culturally relevant providers into communities” is aimed at ensuring that individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as the Asian-American and Black communities mentioned, are not excluded from effective mental health support systems. This promotes their social inclusion and well-being.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   The article concludes with a direct call to action that mirrors this target. The statement that panelists “emphasized the need for collaboration between nonprofits and industry” clearly identifies the strategy of forming partnerships to address the complex issue of mental health stigma.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 3.4 (Suicide mortality rate – Official Indicator 3.4.2)

   This indicator is directly implied when an attendee “raised concerns about adolescent suicide rates.” Tracking this rate would be a direct measure of progress in preventing premature mortality related to mental health issues.

2. Indicator for Target 3.4 (Rate of help-seeking behavior – Implied)

   The article provides specific statistics that can serve as a baseline indicator: “although 75% of men recognized a mental health crisis, only 50% identified a personal need for support and less than a third of those actually reached out for help.” Measuring the change in the percentage of individuals who reach out for help would indicate progress in promoting mental health and reducing stigma.

3. Indicator for Target 4.7 (Implementation of mental health education in national curricula – Implied)

   The article mentions that “the curriculum for middle school mental health literacy is in development, including material designed for grades three to five.” The development, adoption, and implementation of such curricula in schools can be tracked as a clear indicator of progress towards this target.

4. Indicator for Target 10.2 (Availability of culturally competent services – Implied)

   The discussion about the importance of “culturally competent care” and sending “culturally relevant providers into communities” implies an indicator. Progress could be measured by tracking the number or proportion of mental health providers who are trained in cultural competency or who represent the communities they serve.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: thefordhamram.com