WHEREAS, mental health is an essential part of overall health and well-being, and every Virginian deserves access to compassionate, culturally responsive, and high-quality mental health care and support; and 

WHEREAS, Congress formally recognized mental health advocate and author Bebe Moore Campbell in 2008 by passing a bipartisan resolution designating July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month; and  

WHEREAS, National Minority Mental Health Month is an inclusive initiative recognizing the unique mental health needs of African American, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, and other racial and ethnic minority populations to eliminate disparities and improve capacity and access of local Virginia communities to eliminate premature death and preventable illness among minority populations; and  

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Joint Commission on Health Care’s 2025 Health Metrics Annual Report found that Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to experience difficulty affording health care, contributing to disparities in access to mental health services, while multiracial, non-Hispanic adults have the highest rates of depression diagnoses, underscoring the need for culturally responsive prevention, treatment, and recovery services; and 

WHEREAS, trusted community organizations, faith leaders, advocates, and individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges play an essential role in reducing stigma, encouraging individuals to seek care, fostering healing, and strengthening communities across the Commonwealth, making sustained investment in community-led initiatives vital to improving mental health outcomes;  

NOW THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, Governor, do hereby recognize July 2026 as MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.