My name is Jasmine Solis, and I am a graduate student at the School of Social Work. In February of 2001, President George W. Bush announced his initiative to promote awareness about the disparities in access to Mental Health services: New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (2003). He wanted to primarily increase the access to services for individuals with disabilities, to envision a future where everyone with a mental illness can recover and where individuals with mental illness can have access to effective treatment and support.
There wasn’t much knowledge brought to many people’s attention regarding access to mental services, as there is a massive stigma around it. Within the community I grew up in, there was little to no discussion about mental health, what it was, or what it was like for individuals with disabilities. My mother has Guillain-Barre syndrome, which affected her mental state. New Freedom Commission on Mental Health raises awareness so that those disabled or diagnosed with a disorder do not struggle to understand what services they can access. As a future clinician in social work, providing service and challenging the social injustice of oppressed individuals or groups is a core value. Core values are essential to social work; we strive to treat everyone with dignity. We treat each person caring and respectfully as we remain mindful of their differences. We must build a better relationship with the disabled community to provide valuable services they trust.