On March 2, 2020, Bhutila Karpoche and her colleague Faisal Hassan, MPP for York South—Weston, tabled the Black Mental Health Day Act, 2020. If passed, the bill would
- proclaim the first Monday in March of each year as Black Mental Health Day to recognize the ongoing mental health impacts of anti-Black racism in public services and to raise awareness of the specific mental health needs of Black communities across Ontario.
- Require the collection of race-based data in health care, to start to tackle systemic discrimination, anti-Black racism and worse health outcomes for Black Ontarians in our health care system.
- Require the provision of culturally appropriate health services, to ensure that health care is delivered in a way that recognizes the diversity within Black communities across Ontario.
Add your name to call on the government to support Bhutila's bill and address the inequities in Black mental health.