BAMEStream is an alliance of practitioners, therapists, policy specialists, organisations, activists and academia who specialise in the areas of mental health and wellbeing and who’s core purpose during this Covid-19 pandemic is to bring the mental health needs of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community into the mainstream.
Covid-19 is having a devastating impact and we have come together to support the development and delivery of mental health and wellbeing services to ensure that the needs of our local communities are being met as a result of this pandemic and crisis.
Institutional apathy, structural inequalities, racism, fear, stigma and discrimination means that Black Asian and Minority Ethnic people are disadvantaged when it comes to accessing mental health and wellbeing services, and to the quality of care they can receive. Covid-19 has also amplified the level of the health inequalities and it has given rise to other social and economic disparities – which when compounded by isolation due to lockdown and grief and bereavement, it will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of BAME communities.
BAMEStream’s commitment is to ensure that there is widespread awareness and understanding of the gaps in service, policy and practice, that lessons for positive change are learnt, and appropriate actions are taken to mitigate the differential risks and inequalities in mental health care. We will be working together as an alliance to ensure that culturally appropriate therapeutic, psychological and social interventions are integrated into the mainstream and that they are widely available and accessible.