How We Can Dismantle Mental Health- and Substance Use-Related Structural Stigma in Health Care

Structural stigma in health care occurs when laws, policies, and practices result in the unfair treatment of people with lived or living experience of mental health problems or illnesses and/or substance use. These often subtle experiences of discrimination lead to inequitable access to health care and a lower quality of care.

Silent Barriers: Understanding How We Can Dismantle Mental Health- and Substance Use-Related Structural Stigma in Health Care illustrates how such structural stigma is creating real harm to people trying to access quality care and to health-care workers seeking to provide it. Also highlighted are specific actions to help health-care leaders and other agents of change dismantle this form of stigma.