Different Backgrounds, Different Impacts on Brain Health, One Resource
Background Discrimination
There are many types of discrimination that can include (but are not limited to) race, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities and religion. People who are discriminated may experience anxiety, depression or loss of self-esteem. Discrimination of any kind should not be tolerated, and individuals who face discrimination in their everyday lives need to know they have outlets to turn to for help, such as Iowa’s Mental Health and Disabilities Services (MHDS) Regions.
Background Barriers
Everyone faces barriers in their lifetime, but there are some barriers that individuals experience as a result of their background. Background barriers can lead to prolonged brain health issues. Language barriers may impact the ability for immigrants to gain meaningful employment, discuss their health concerns with doctors or connect with neighbors. Cultural and religious beliefs may prevent those suffering from seeking help. An individual’s neighborhood may impact their opportunity to obtain a quality education or cause them to be discriminated against. Single parents may face psychosocial battles as they learn to maintain a work-life balance. Individuals who experienced serious trauma in their life may face barriers to heal, which affects their ability to interact with others. All barriers, while not alike, are similar in the sense that they can lead to stress and anxiety.
No matter one’s brain health struggle, Iowa’s MHDS Regions are available to serve. The regions work with care providers across the state to ensure no one is alone when it comes to addressing concerns with brain health, personal wellbeing, developmental disabilities, addiction and more.
Each region offers a range of affordable, well-organized and high-quality health services that are available to all Iowans, no matter their background, when and where they need them. Some services are even free. Each local MHDS Region can connect individuals to 24-hour crisis services, counseling, therapy, job development, prevocational services, suicide prevention, substance abuse evaluations and treatment, supported housing, brain health evaluations, psychiatric rehabilitation and more. Our brain health experts are also well-versed in identifying and understanding how individuals with different cultures and backgrounds may face different barriers.
Know an individual who can benefit from brain health support? Help is available close to home. Get started by visiting IowaMHDSRegions.org.