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.
Related Posts

Without Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Interventions, We Can’t Address the Maternal Mortality Crisis
May 1, 2024, marked World Maternal Mental Health Day, and on May 12, 2024, we will celebrate Mother’s Day. While maternal health is a recognized public health crisis in the United States, mental health, substance misuse, and substance use disorder (SUD) are often overlooked as part of the crisis.
Collaborative Substance Use Prevention: Stronger Together
During Substance Use Prevention Month and year-round, many opportunities exist for the prevention field to work collaboratively (across sectors and partners) to develop and implement comprehensive prevention approaches.
Prevention seeks to prevent initiation of substance use, prevent progression of substance use (to a substance use disorder), and prevent harms associated with substance use.

Recognizing the Role of Peers in Recovery for Veterans
Veterans Day is a time to honor those who have served in our nation’s military. Veterans have unique experiences that are part of the collective culture of military service. Service members are trained to prioritize accomplishing a mission first. In or out of uniform, some former service members might not feel comfortable and safe prioritizing their behavioral health and reaching out for support.