The Critical Role of Race-Conscious Framework in Advancing Mental Health Workforce Diversity: A Case Study

Abstract

Background: A racially diverse mental health workforce has been suggested to address persistent racial disparities in mental health among racially minoritized service recipients. However, in a racialized society such as the United States, structural racism is shown to constrain mental health organizations' efforts to address disparities through workforce diversity. Theoretical Framework and Method: We recruited Black mental health workers (n = 10, Mage = 52.7 [SD = 6.9], 2 males (20%)/8 females; 4 married (40%)/6 single; 2 part time (20%)/8 full time) who have worked in a community mental health organization for at least seven years. We conducted semi-structured Zoom interviews with the participants to understand Black employees' perceptions about the organization's diversity efforts. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through the lens of the theory of racialized organizations, using the Sort and Sift, Think and Shift (SSTS) approach to qualitative data. Results: Findings were organized around five themes: (1) workforce diversity matters, (2) whiteness of the leadership as the perceptions of organizational diversity, and (3) the impact of the whiteness of leadership. Two related subthemes were identified from the third theme: (3a) racial task burdens and (3b) racial outsourcing. Discussion/Implications: Workforce diversity among racialized workers without focusing on how structural racism shape organizational processes are more likely to burden and exploit racial minority workers instead of promoting equity. Anti-racist work must move beyond a focus on individuals, as racist or bad actors, to target organizational procedures, operations, and resource allocation, which may have far greater consequences.