The aim of ACSS is to ensure that black people in Scotland are able to better access mental health support.
The organisation does this by helping black people and families across the nation to find professional mental health services, in addition to raising money to help cover the cost of such services.
ACSS have a number of Occupational therapists and provide counselling
As well as acting as a referral point for those requiring confidential advice for issues
such as Mental Health issues and Mental Health episodes.
Our network of Nurses in the NHS can
Provide a safe space whereby members of the community can be referred to be seen by a familiar face to alleviate language barriers or stigma usually associated with this disability within the community.
Our current mental health and well-being services continue to fail to meet the needs of people from Black African and Caribbean backgrounds.
The Black community do not have a biological predisposition to serious mental illness, it is a system riddled with inequality and services that are not inclusive and responsive to diverse experiences and perspectives.
The African and Afro Caribbean community are more likely to report both poorer outcomes and harsher experiences of services. Not only is there a stigma to overcome when dealing with mental health, but after that comes the lack of therapists from the black community who have a shared cultural background.
It is very important to note that Talking Therapies services were less likely to engage Black people with symptoms of common mental illness such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress when compared to their White British counterparts.
The ravaging effects of Covid 19 with thin the black community have openly shown the disparities in general living conditions which have in turn left them vulnerable to the Virus.
Both the number of Health care professionals whom were pushed on to the front lines without adequate PPE outline the effects to ones mental health whilst working in a toxic environment with fear of a reprisal if complaints are made.
