Claudia Barning is the Program Director of the Mental Health and Addictions Program at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, where she has worked since 2011. Along with her parents and siblings, she immigrated to Canada from Ghana, West Africa as a child. Immigrating to Canada was both exciting and challenging, as her family navigated the complexities of adapting to a new culture and establishing a sense of belonging in their new home.
We connected with Claudia to gain valuable insights into her personal journey and to discuss the important issues surrounding Black mental health, exploring the unique challenges and experiences faced by individuals in the community.
Read below for more on our Q&A with Claudia.
Q: How has your personal journey as a Black woman influenced your leadership style and approach within the Mental Health & Addictions Program?
As a Black woman, I take nothing for granted. I lead by example, demonstrating and mentoring in a way that supports and empowers the people around me to take action, while being clear about my expectations.
I am self-aware of my social positioning and understand the systemic racism and discrimination often associated with Black woman in positions of power. I am committed to doing my part to break down those barriers and present a different narrative, one that is positive and characterizes Black woman as equal and deserving of the authority intrusted.
I am aware that as a Black woman I must ‘show up and deliver’ in ways that sets me apart from my counterparts. I am aware of my privilege and how I got here, and through clear communication, I can set the tone for honest engagement and action with people that I lead.
I treat people how I would like to be treated, with respect, kindness, and appreciation for what they bring to the table. My style is to focus on people’s strength and leverage their talents to achieve the greater good. I seek out opportunities to support the team with their personal growth, often putting myself in the back seat so that they can excel.
I always reference my own personal journey and career path, and reflect on not only the challenges faced, but the opportunities that have been created as a result. I have had some empowering mentors along my journey who have taken interest in me as a person and leveraged my strengths and leadership aspirations. I take the same approach and commitment to empowering others while paying it forward.
Q: What significance does Black History Month hold for raising awareness about mental health issues within the Black community?
A: Mental Health awareness and education should be woven into our daily practice, and not just a topic of discussion during Black History Month.
Lack of access to appropriate and culturally responsive mental health services remains an impactful barrier. Inherent racism, coupled with historical trauma enacted on the Black community by the medical field continues to widen the gap. While there has been some good progress, we still have a long way to go to address systemic barriers and stigma that further impacts trust and engagement.
Service delivery models and the lack of culturally appropriate resources to help mitigate health inequity, economic insecurity and racism within the Black community needs to remain a priority at all levels.
Q: What unique challenges do you believe the Black community faces when it comes to accessing mental health services?
A: There is evidence to suggest that the Black community face disproportionate challenges in accessing mental health services. This is in part, due to systematic challenges such as timely access to services, financial barriers, racism, and discrimination from providers within the health care field, and inability to access culturally competent care, often leading to misdiagnosis, misinterpretation of cultural norms and insensitive communication strategies.
Additionally, internalized stigma from the black community, families, and shame in seeking mental health care.
Q: What strategies do you think are most effective in reducing the stigma about mental health in the Black community?
A: There are many culturally appropriate strategies to help reduce stigma. As health care providers, we need to be authentic and inclusive, respectful, and validating of all cultural norms, appreciating the differences within our communities.
We need to find ways to empower patients and families to access mental health services by offering tools and barrier-free strategies for navigating the system.
We need to be transparent in our engagement, actions and approach and collaborate with experts within the Black community, while building alliance for those navigating mental health care so they can advocate for themselves.
We need to be inclusive in our planning, take the time to engage, asking questions with a keen interest for learning and validating the perspectives of others.