A Community-Led Partnership to Develop a Mental Health Promotion Curriculum with Minority Health Agencies

Background: Community-based mental health promotion programs for healthy people of color, without a diagnosed mental health condition are rare in public health literature.

Objectives: A statewide minority health agency led a 4-year partnership in Indiana with researchers, community-based minority health affiliates, and people of color to design, pilot, and evaluate a mental health promotion program.

Methods: A participatory process was utilized to develop and test a group health promotion program designed with and for communities of color to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for handling life stresses in a healthy way. Activities included capacity building, two implementation cycles, and mixed-methods evaluation.

Results: The partnership revealed challenges and lessons learned such as recruiting skilled facilitators, effective communication about goals for cultural and linguistic appropriateness, maintaining fidelity, and realigning funding approaches for affiliates.

Conclusions: Next steps include revisions based on lessons learned, additional cultural and linguistic tailoring of the program, and offering statewide access.