Abstract
Mental illnesses are real and disabling conditions and if left untreated can result in disability and despair for schools, families, workplaces, and communities. Mental illness is a global problem and can affect every human being one or more times during his or her life span. African Americans have a history of using the mental health system, but within that system they have been misdiagnosed, underserved, inappropriately classified, and treated with different methods than their Caucasian counterparts. Despite efforts to reduce barriers to mental health care, African Americans are still among those who underutilize mental health services. In this research study, the factors used to examine the utilization of mental health services included inclination to seek services, barriers pertaining to the utilization of mental health services, and preferences for the utilization of mental health services. These factors were examined with the aim of increasing awareness and providing recommendations to the community and the social work profession.