as they are less likely to seek mental health services, and/or unable to do so due to systemic racial discrimination, cultural mistrust, of non-BIPOC licensed professional counselors and clinicians, and the additional barriers such as the lack of culturally adapted interventions the lack of understanding on the impact of culture, stigma, and family-related issues. Looking at these intersecting challenges is important for improving mental health outcomes with this population. 

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To address these barriers, future research must first go beyond the Westernized CBT treatment approaches by implementing cultural adaptations according to the racial and ethnic background of adolescents. Second, additional research is needed to continue demonstrating the efficacy of culturally adapted CBT; therefore, despite the time-consuming and costly nature, previous culturally adapted studies indicate that future studies across a diverse range of BIPOC adolescents will benefit from increased funding. Third, in order to prevent mistrust in non-BIPOC licensed professional counselors and clinicians, mental health clinics, hospitals, and schools should prioritize racial matching and offer families the opportunity to choose culturally compatible providers. 

 

Higher education institutions must be held accountable for the shortage of BIPOC-licensed professional counselors and clinicians, as well as for inadequate training. Therefore, higher education institutions must reassess their admissions processes and prioritize retention-focused support for BIPOC graduate students by providing mentorship, scholarships, and loan forgiveness to students who are culturally compatible and dedicated to serving BIPOC adolescents. Fifth, although culturally competent continuing education (CCCE) is required in a few states, this white paper suggests that these laws should also require clinical supervision and address White Privilege, color blindness, and antiracism in coursework. Looking at conducting an empirical study to gather the lived experiences of clinicians providing therapy to BIPOC adolescents can help provide information needed to train therapists better.

 

By incorporating these recommendations, educators and mental health professionals can improve access to care and promote better mental health care for BIPOC adolescents who are diagnosed with depression across the United States.

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