Individuals from underrepresented groups do not have equal access to affordable healthcare, housing, and education. Addressing barriers to access starts at the institutional level with an understanding of the social determinants of inequity and of health.

Antiracist, equitable, and unbiased mental health care requires a deep understanding of the impact of multiple layers of historical traumas, discrimination, and systemic barriers that BIPOC and those in LGBTQ+ communities face daily. Repeated experiences of microaggressions, childhood adversity, discrimination, and systemic oppression puts people from these communities at elevated risk for mental health issues. Despite this, many significant barriers still exist to receiving quality, culturally informed, and appropriate mental health services. This has salience in the context of illnesses as complex and multifaceted as mental health issues, including trauma, eating disorders and addictions. and reflects a profound need for services that are anti-racist, inclusive, and equitable.