In a 1955 speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously declared that of all forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most “shocking and inhumane.” Yet racial and ethnic health inequities remain pervasive across all state health systems* (PDF | 3.5 MB). Fortunately, with hard work and the passage of time, health equity progress does take root and grow. Indeed, there are significant advances to achieving health equity for African Americans and other marginalized populations.
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Creating Change and Acknowledging Failure
Tyler’s Journey Through the Criminal Legal System
“He’s dead, David. He’s dead. He’s dead.”
Those frantic, dreadful words echoed through my mind, on repeat.
‘David’—that is me. ‘He’—that’s my friend, Tyler. Or I should say ‘was,’ as of September 5, 2023.

Behavioral Health Equity: Responding to the Needs of our Nation’s Veterans
On Veterans Day, we take time to honor former service members for their willingness to make sacrifices for our nation. Support for all our nation’s Veterans is a prominent component of the wide-ranging services provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An emphasis on Veteran behavioral health (mental health and substance use disorder) care is rooted in the agency’s recognition of the unique needs of this population and the collective national commitment to support those who served.
SAMHSA and ONC Launch the Behavioral Health Information Technology Initiative
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) will work together to invest more than $20 million of SAMHSA funds over the next three years in an initiative to advance health information technology (IT) in behavioral health care and practice settings.