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Nearly 29 percent of some 1,000 people surveyed online in the US in March and April reported experiencing depression, and just over 18 percent reported substance use increase or initiation as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Feb. 5.

And, the report said, survey respondents of color, particularly Hispanic participants, reported higher rates of mental health concerns.

“Racial and ethnic minority groups have experienced disparities in mental health and substance misuse related to access to care, psychosocial stress, and social determinants of health,” the report said, adding that addressing “psychosocial stressors, mental health conditions, and substance misuse among U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic is important, as are interventions tailored for racial and ethnic minority groups.”

The report stated additional public health measures are necessary to address the mental and behavioral health consequences of the pandemic.

“Addressing barriers or disruptions to access to and delivery of mental health and substance use services during the COVID-19 pandemic, including considerations for health care systems, practices, and providers using telehealth coverage; consideration of parity in insurance coverage for mental health and substance use services; and use of virtual mental health treatment and substance use recovery groups, is important,” the report said.

Read more at BostonGlobe.com.

As documented incidents of harassment, assault, and discrimination against Asian Americans have escalated during COVID-19, many groups within the community have also faced heightened financial strain. Advocates say it’s beyond time to acknowledge and take action on both.

John C. Yang, the president and executive director of the advocacy group Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), said he had heard “palpable” fear within the Asian-American community about being attacked, harassed, or targeted with racial epithets. COVID-19 has also wreaked economic havoc on many Asian Americans, hobbling businesses and leaving scores of workers jobless. While a variety of different factors have driven these twin crises, advocates and experts point to some overlap between the two — including xenophobic stigma that continues to impact many Asian-run businesses, barriers to accessing COVID-19 relief, and mounting mental-health concerns.

Asian-American immigrants have historically been targeted by racist narratives related to lack of cleanliness. In the context of an infectious-disease outbreak, this kind of xenophobia gets wrapped into people’s fear of contamination and easily translates into anti-Asian racism, said Sumie Okazaki, a professor of applied psychology at New York University who has researched racism and mental health in Asian-American communities.

Many Asian Americans — including those who own small businesses or who work in nail salons, restaurants and other disproportionately impacted industries — may be experiencing multiple stressors, including their financial situation, COVID-19-generated racism and the virus itself, Okazaki suggested.

“We do know that a number of Asian Americans, even if they’re not directly receiving xenophobic or racist attacks … are quite affected by the news of such attacks,” she added. “It’s anxiety-provoking. It’s fear-raising.”

The Crisis Text Line reported survey results last May that Asian Americans were “experiencing 3x higher rates of racism and discrimination compared to other texters.” Asians and Asian Americans “have experienced higher levels of mental disorders” than their white counterparts, and are twice as likely to report experiences of coronavirus-related discrimination, according to one study published in December.

Read more on MarketWatch.com.

On International Women’s Day and throughout Women’s History Month, it’s worth considering and reflecting on the triumph and tragedy of the current state of affairs. As people celebrate the many achievements of women who have broken through to lead and succeed in extraordinary ways, people should also reflect on how far we are from gender parity and commit to doing what it takes to become a more gender equal nation.

There are many successes worth celebrating this year. Top among them is the ascension of America’s first woman vice president ― a historic and powerful representation of how far women have come 100 years after we first won the right to vote. Also in the win category is the record number of women CEOs in the Fortune 500, now more than 8 percent, including more women of color than ever before. And in science, women have been instrumental in developing Covid-19 vaccines and helped NASA land a rover on Mars. And in the sports world, women are breaking new ground as coaches and leaders, including Kim Ng being named the new general manager of the Miami Marlins to Katie Sowers becoming the first female coach to make it to the Super Bowl in 2020 and more.

Despite all the success, however, the U.S. is still far from achieving true equity. As much as women are succeeding, they are struggling.

Even before the pandemic there were serious issues facing women. Women were already disproportionately in poverty, facing mental health stress, more likely to toil in low wage jobs, and struggling through an ongoing childcare crisis that was pushing them out of the workforce.

The 2019 Global Gender Gap report ranked the United States 53rd in the world for gender equity (behind Bangladesh, South Africa and Mexico among others). Now, in 2021 the picture is even bleaker. As the Covid-19 crisis drags on, women across American economic and social strata are being crushed and pushed to the brink

How is it possible that the U.S. is behind so many other nations in achieving equity?

For generations, the concerns of American women have been ignored in the public policy and priority making arenas. Beginning in the 1970s, as the feminist movement surged and women began entering the labor force in larger and larger numbers, there were mass calls for investment in social and policy infrastructure to support them, which were never completely heeded.

On International Women’s Day and every day, people must work to create a society where the contributions, struggles, experiences and lives of women are valued. It’s time to start responding in real and urgent ways to the needs of 51 percent. Women cannot afford another 30 years of inching along. It’s years past the time for action.

Read more on NBCNews.com.

With COVID-19 impacting Native Americans at a higher rate than any other community in the country, the effects of the pandemic have been particularly devastating for children in Native communities in the United States. “It’s taking such a toll on mental health and spiritual health, … not being able to connect with loved ones or friends or community or have tribal gatherings or ceremonies,” psychologist Victoria O’Keefe told the Navajo Times.

A member of the Cherokee and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma, O’Keefe works with the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH), which partnered with UNICEF USA and Johns Hopkins Alliance for a Healthier World to publish a storybook that helps Native American children better understand the pandemic and its effect on their communities. Written by Crystal Kee and illustrated by Joelle Joyner, “Our Smallest Warriors, Our Strongest Medicine: Overcoming COVID-19” teaches children how to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus and encourages strength-based coping skills.

As the pandemic moves into its second year, protecting the mental health of children and young people must be a global priority.

Read more on Forbes.com.

In order to highlight pockets of excellence across the country, the NNED selects a partner organization to highlight once a month. The Korean Women’s Association, has been selected as the Partner of the Month for March in celebration of Women’s History Month.

The Korean Women’s Association (KWA) is a nonprofit organization that services to all of Western Washington through 15 offices in 14 counties and employs 1,400+ employees to serve the diverse needs of more than 10,000 people each year. They provide multi-cultural, multi-lingual human services, regardless of race or ethnic background, to diverse communities through education, socialization, advocacy, and support.

The programs and services that are currently offered:

• Community & Behavioral Health –  KWA has health navigators and staff available in Pierce, King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties to help you with behavioral health support. There are three ways we address community behavioral health: Group preventative health education, individual care coordination, and individual care coordination for high-risk individuals.
• Domestic Violence Assistance – The KWA Domestic Violence Assistance program provides services to any and all survivors, regardless of gender, age, race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or other cultural identities. Supportive services are provided at a separate location from the confidential shelter.
• Social Services – KWA’s Social Services department provides free support for those most in need. They can help you navigate a number of programs providing basic needs.
• Senior Support – Beacon and Lighthouse Senior Activity Centers provide seniors find that the ability to interact with other older adults in social settings results in the improvement of their mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. Two centers focus on helping the participants achieve these goals by hosting various classes and activities that enhance the senior’s quality of life.
• Affordable Housing – KWA owns and manages a varied portfolio of properties – with more than 200 units of affordable housing for working, disabled, and seniors with various incomes. They currently operate three senior housing properties and two low-income housing properties.

Learn more about the Korean Women’s Association, and their commitment to serve multi-cultural, multi-lingual communities to make a positive difference in people’s lives in the Western Washington area.

View a list of previous NNED Partners of the Month.

Since the calls for change in the wake of George Floyd”s death, one group of young women has pushed to continue those conversations for social justice and equity. They go by the name of Black Women in Charge, made up of 10 members—mostly college students—that helped organize some of the peaceful marches in Indianapolis last summer. Today, they’re still working with community leaders and politicians to push for racial justice and equity. One of their proudest accomplishments to date? Helping oversee a general review board for Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Member Langdan Willoughby has a special interest in raising awareness on racial disparities within health care and shining light on food desserts in Indianapolis.

“Even outside of the police, we met with the USDA,” Willoughby said, about the efforts to understand and highlight the impact of food desserts on Black communities, “especially on Black women and it’s specific impact through obesity and mental health.”

When asked if they plan on expanding, they said they don’t want to bite off more than they can chew, but have no plans of backing down from their purpose any time soon.

“We have a standard that we kind of set for ourselves, and it’s extremely high, so they can’t even say, ‘Oh, they were just some young girls. They didn’t know what they were talking about.'” Sadiyah Anderson explained. “We put ourselves to an extremely high standard so they actually will listen to our message and hopefully receive it well.”

Read more on WTHR.com.