Ethno-Racial Inequities of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications and Recommendations for Mental Health Professionals

Abstract

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities due to systemic health disparities based on race, ethnicity, and systemic inequities. Among extent literature on BIPOC mental health and COVID-19, there is a pressing need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed treatment approaches that go beyond the broader impacts of the pandemic or immediate pandemic-related concerns and address the persisting impacts of the COVID-19 on BIPOC mental health. To this end, our article aims to equip professional counselors with the necessary tools to serve BIPOC clients more effectively by (1) understanding the ethno-racial inequities of the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) assessing the intersectional dimensions of stress and trauma associated with COVID-19, and (3) employing therapeutic approaches to promote physical and mental well-being in BIPOC clients.