Guide to Equity Terminology: Promoting Behavioral Health Equity through the Word
Guide to Equity Terminology: Promoting Behavioral Health Equity through the Words We Use
In the field of behavioral health, words are often our primary tools. We don’t have hammers and saws, thermometers and stethoscopes, or brushes and palettes. Words are powerful tools and using them with intention is central to our craft.
“I’ll never forget, years ago, when I was asked to give a talk about tribes and behavioral health indicators, I presented the data showing higher rates of suicide, alcohol use, earlier ages of initiating substance use, etc. I thought I had done a good job of documenting ‘need’. However, a tribal leader came up to me saying I had painted such a negative view of their community, I had said nothing about the richness and the survival strengths of their tribe.”
This quote from Larke Huang, Director of the Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE), underscores how our words have the capacity to uplift communities or to marginalize them.
How often have you asked yourself, “Should I say BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) or People of Color? Limited English Proficient (LEP) or Non-English Language Preference (NELP)? Minority or minoritized? At OBHE, we receive these questions routinely and struggle with them often. There are times when an answer is straightforward, but more often, the complexity of the issue leads to the response: “It depends.” Facing this ambiguity, we decided to develop a Guide to Equity Terminology (GET) as a decision-support tool. And, in recognition of July as Minority Mental Health Month, we are sharing a preview of the GET.
Principles of Behavioral Health Equity Terminology
Equitable terminology refers to consciously selecting words that promote inclusivity and respect while also considering who is represented and who is absent from the conversation. It is built on the following guiding principles:
- Person-Centered: Prioritizing the whole person by considering their multiple intersecting identities and qualities, rather than reducing them to a single attribute. This often involves using person-first language, which puts the person before their diagnosis, disability, or other characteristics. Person-centered language also means deferring to the terminology expressed by individuals with lived experience.
- Strengths-Based: Highlighting the inherent strengths and assets in all individuals, families, and communities. It seeks to depict people in terms of their strengths and assets rather than exclusively describing their vulnerabilities and weaknesses through a deficit lens. If referencing deficits is necessary in our work, then it is important to also counterbalance with strengths and assets.
- Non-Stigmatizing: Avoiding discriminatory, prejudicial, offensive, and stigmatizing words. Stigmatizing language creates negative associations and devalues individuals, families, and their communities. It also can contribute to internalization of negative attitudes and beliefs, known as self-stigma or internalized