ADHD News & Research

Our Pledge to Fight Racism for the ADHD Community

Access to health care is revoked, refused, and rescinded every day in America because of racism. Racial inequality is denying black families this most fundamental right, among so many others. It must stop.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on health care equality

At ADDitude, we believe that equal access to health care, mental health services, and education are fundamental rights, yet we witness daily the ways our nation’s systemic racism denies these rights to so many people of color. We share our support for racial equality. We believe Black Lives Matter. We mourn George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and far too many others. And we resolve to show this support in our words and actions.

People of color are denied equal access to health care and mental health services every day in America. They are underdiagnosed and undertreated for ADHD, and other psychological conditions and learning disorders, because of their race and ethnicity. This discrimination is contributing to a national mental health crisis that disproportionately harms communities of color.

As a health publication, we pledge to amplify the voices of people who have been leading the fight against racism in health care and education for years, even decades. We will continue to feature these experts in our coverage of ADHD and race and we invite ADDitude community members to contribute paid stories about the ways in which race and racism have impacted your mental health and ability to live well with ADHD. Please email [email protected] to speak with us about telling your story.

We are working now on expanding this series of expert webinars launched in 2020 designed to help parents, educators, and practitioners better understand the ways that race impacts ADHD diagnosis and treatment, learning and behavioral interventions, mental health stigma, access to health care, and much more.

We welcome your ideas for additional webinars at [email protected] and look forward to announcing these free resources soon.

The list below is just a start — links to the resources and experts who have helped the ADDitude team better understand the injustices and challenges associated with race and health care in America. We value their work and contributions to the health-care community. As we move forward, our editorial team will learn more, listen more, and work to better serve our readers with resources specifically for black children and adults with ADHD and related conditions.

We invite our readers to tell us what we could be doing better, and we strive to support those who are making change and changing lives.

Sincerely,
the ADDitude team

Race and ADHD: Reading and Research

Race and ADHD: Support

Race and ADHD: Resources

Race and ADHD: Voices