Research Project Summary
In 2020 Camden County (County) had the highest rate of mental health (MH) distress in NJ; 18% of Black resident-respondents reported MH distress—6 percentage points higher than White resident-respondents (CCNA, 2020). However, despite higher rates of MH distress among Black county residents, White county residents were diagnosed with depression nearly 5 percentage points more than Black and Hispanic residents were; it’s possible that access to MH providers moderates this finding. These results reflect county-level data collected over 30 days and include only 133 responses—or 0.025% of Camden County residents (523,771; US Census Bureau, 2022). With approximately 71,000 residents, Camden City (Camden) is designated a medically underserved area and has one of the highest crime rates in America. In Camden, most residents are not white: 42.9% identify as Black or AA, 52.8% identify as Hispanic or Latino (US Census Bureau). Given the research on minority and urban stress on well-being, Camden’s MH treatment needs are likely high. Unfortunately, Camden residents are at the receiving-end of dual challenges: underlying inequities and social determinants of health that worsen MH and limited access to needed services. Mental distress does not affect all people equally—it has long been known that underlying inequities and social determinants of health are statistically significant predictors of poor MH. In 2022, the County was found to be more vulnerable than 80% of the US, with most of the variance in vulnerability determined by Camden (SJHC 2022; vulnerability determined by population density, minorities and non-English speakers, unemployment and low income, housing and transportation challenges, health system challenges).
Research Project Goals
To our knowledge, Camden’s specific mental health needs have not been assessed, despite being a minority-majority city and South Jersey’s most populous city. Organizations of all sizes can use project results to advocate for resources, build capacity, and improve equity in mental health services for Camden residents. These data will help all Camden organizations understand residents’ mental health service needs, resilience and protective factors, logistical barriers to service utilization, and important practical considerations to developing mental health service offerings.
Research Project Objectives
Our objectives for this publicly engaged research are four-fold: 1) describe Camden residents’ MH status, treatment needs, and barriers to service utilization. 2) disseminate MH resources to Camden residents. 3) identify average time needed to connect residents with MH services. 4) describe resiliency and protective factors among Camden residents.