Postpartum depression can be described as a hormonal imbalance that occurs after a woman gives birth. The placenta carries thousands of estrogen hormones in it that once removed after childbirth, there is an extreme imbalance of hormones in the mother’s body. This leads to mood swings, sadness, loss of interest, etc. Postpartum depression is extremely common for women, especially in minority communities (Winstone, 2020). If this can occur in the majority of women at almost 80% of the female population after giving birth, then why is this viewed as shameful and controversial? After researching Postpartum depression, I found that the majority of minority women feel ashamed to come forward when experiencing this form of depression. The reason being is that they are “mom-shamed” because this depression makes them feel disconnected from their baby and not experience the joy that mothers are often said is supposed to be feeling. This study will look for the answers as to why minority women do not receive treatment for this form of depression and do not come forward with reporting it to their doctor/ healthcare provider.

Though there has been a steady decrease in violent crimes by women since the late 1980s, mass incarceration of black females has been on the rise. Through legislation and carceral punishment, the “war on drugs” created during the Nixon administration perpetuated racial violence against Black women with mental health disorders. Furthermore, with the deinstitutionalization of mental health facilities for individuals suffering from mental health disorders, prisons have become the leading institution of care for mental health patients. In 2019, the imprisonment rate for Black women was over 1.7 times the rate of imprisonment for white women; Black women are also more likely to have undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues, which may contribute to higher recidivism rates (Hahm et al., 2015; Zeng, 2020). This study will explore the efficacy of dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT) for incarcerated Black females with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study will consist of a randomized controlled sample of 30 women inmates at Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF) in Gunnison, Utah with symptoms of PTSD: half will receive DBT treatment and the other half will receive traditional talk therapy. Participants will participate in a sixteen-week treatment program, plus three months of follow-up studies upon release, to determine the effectiveness of the treatment programs in reducing recidivism rates for black female inmates with PTSD at CUCF.

Objective: A disparity exists in access and availability of mental health services for ethnic minority youth experiencing depression. This literature review focuses on identifying mental health services and the level of access available to ethnic minority youths. Method: A literature search was performed using research databases, PubMed and PsychINFO; keywords used as search terms included: depression, ethnic minority, youth, access, mental health services, and resources. Results: The literature search identified 12 research articles, of which 10 met inclusion criteria (e.g., focused on the targeted population of ethnic minority children and adolescents). Review and summary of the articles indicated that ethnic minority youth often do not receive quality treatment. Compared to their white counterparts, ethnic minority children and adolescents are more likely to forgo seeking mental health services due to stigma or skepticism regarding the importance of mental health. School-based and family-based interventions show effectiveness in better mental health treatments for minority youth. Conclusion: Improving access to mental healthcare services may benefit depressed ethnic minority youth by reducing disparities in their level of care. Possible methods of improving access/availability may include adjusting policies and regulations that increase eligibility to receive quality treatment. It is worth noting that there is a lack of studies focused on this population, limiting findings for this literature review.

The origins of horticultural therapy stem from traditional indigenous wisdom. But, in modern ways of living, specifically Western cultures, people have lost the connectedness with nature that is revered in Indigenous wisdom. The growing popularity of horticultural therapy seeks to repair this connection for positive mental health outcomes. One of the main types of horticulture therapy that has become quite common is community gardening. This study seeks to investigate the amount and empirical rigor of research on community gardening and horticultural therapy on mental health in the United States. This is a nonexperimental, systematic review of existing literature published in the United States on horticulture therapy and their research designs (quantitative or qualitative), and philosophies. It is hypothesized that studies in the United States may reflect the inequalities of access to horticultural therapy versus community gardens. Additional findings will be examined and discussed.