Summary

The COVID-!9 pandemic has increased the demand for mental health services. This accelerated the need for virtual and digital mental health services. However, it also imposed new barriers for those in search of care. Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience barriers. Cultural and social motivators can also increase disparities in digital mental healthcare for certain groups. To best serve diverse populations of users, digital mental health need to be available in various languages. Adapting evidence-based digital mental health into a new language typically requires cultural adaptations, rather than a straight language translation. Digital mental health care can be the driver for success if social workers, stakeholders, and designers focus on the needs of people with mental illness and the steps required for recovery. It must not only equip people and communities to better cope with the stressors created by the dysfunctional world, but also target the very drivers to the dysfunction through joint social action. This workshop will:Provide participants with an outline of digital mental health and the barriers faced by diverse and underserved populations. Participants will gain a unique perspective about digital mental health via an ecosystems approach. Participants will understand how joint social action could address solutions to the barriers associated with digital mental health.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Digital mental health, ecosystems approach, social action, disparities, barriers, racial and ethnic minorities.