330.635.01
Structural Racism, Trauma, and Mental Health: Critical Frameworks for Public Health Practice
Location
East Baltimore
Term
4th Term
Department
Mental Health
Credit(s)
2
Academic Year
2025 - 2026
Instruction Method
In-person
Tuesday, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Resources
Prerequisite
No prerequisites for this course.
Enrollment Restriction
This course is not restricted.
How does racism shape mental health outcomes, and what can public health do about it? Dive into the psychological and physiological toll of structural racism while exploring pathways to healing and justice.
Racism isn’t just a social issue—it’s a public health crisis. Examine the evidence linking racial trauma to mental health disparities and learn how to design anti-racist interventions. Can public health truly advance equity without confronting racism? Challenge conventional frameworks and explore critical race theory, liberation psychology, and indigenous approaches in mental health research and practice.
Examines the psychological and physiological impacts of racism on marginalized communities, with a focus on Black Americans, Indigenous people, and other racially minoritized groups. Explores the historical roots of racism, its evolution from overt to covert forms, and its resurgence in contemporary society. Integrates frameworks from Critical Race Theory (CRT), cultural psychiatry, liberation psychology, and public health to analyze how systemic racism manifests in policies and institutions, contributing to mental health disparities. Evaluates interventions and advocates for structural solutions based on empirical research and cultural approaches.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Analyze the psychological and physiological mechanisms through which racism contributes to mental health disparities, using empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks
- Learn how structural racism in policies (housing, criminal justice, healthcare) perpetuates mental health inequities across generations
- Apply Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP) to assess racial biases in mental health research, interventions, and institutions
- Differentiate between individual, cultural, and systemic approaches to addressing racism’s mental health impacts
- Identify trauma-informed strategies for healing racial stress, incorporating cultural metaphors and indigenous practices
- Apply social justice principles to inform strategies and policies to promote health equity in communities
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
- 15% Participation
- 20% In-class Exercises
- 40% Group Project(s)
- 25% Final Project