What is stigma? How is it harmful and what can we do to change the conversation around our mental health?

Columbia University and The New York Public Library have launched a public health initiative—in partnership with the National Black Leadership Commission on Health (Black Health)—to bring free education and resources to New York City residents who face lack of access and cultural barriers to behavioral health care.

The Community Mental Health Project, supported by the Leon Levy Foundation, aims to reduce the distress and trauma in the city’s racially and ethnically diverse communities that have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative consist of series of animated videos focusing on mental health wellness and self-care. The first two videos of 10 planned for the series. The topics address mental health concerns identified in discussions with community members, ranging from mental illness and addiction to stigma in seeking treatment and care.

Note: Resources based on input from teens, young adults, and seniors in neighborhoods significantly impacted by health disparities and the pandemic.