Inequity in InterventionNobel Conference 58 | Resources

For many people, countless barriers stand between recognizing mental health concerns and receiving treatment. Accessibility to mental health care in the U.S. is highly determined by socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity, and cultural background, leading to a significant “treatment gap” among young people. Additionally, current mental health treatments are highly Eurocentric and often fail to consider multiculturalism in therapeutic approaches. All of these factors contribute to inequity within mental health intervention for young people. 


The Widening Mental Health Treatment Gap in Schools Schools rarely have access to the funding they need to provide mental health interventions for all the students who need it. There is also a distinct treatment gap along racial and socioeconomic conditions for children who need these resources. This article introduces these issues.

Significant Disparities in College Student Mental Health Treatment Across Race/Ethnicity This article discusses the phenomenon whereby college students of color have a disproportionate lack of access to mental health resources.

Decolonizing Research Methods Can Improve Psychological Treatments This review of Nobel speaker Joseph P. Gone’s paper on decolonizing psychology discusses the importance of decentering Western psychology for creating more equality in mental health intervention. 

What Does Economics Have to Do With It? This academic article reviews the impact of socioeconomic factors on mental health and provides some prevention strategies. 

A New Way to Help Young People With Their Mental Health In this TED Talk, Tom Osborn shares his experience with mental health while at school in Kenya. He advocates for mental health intervention for young Kenyans and explains strategies for improving youth mental health all over the globe.