Why is there a perception of shame often associated with seeking out mental health care? Do communities of color experience higher stigmatization when seeking help? When working with a mental health specialist does a shared experience of race contribute to better mental health outcomes. These are some of the issues addressed by the Avel Gordley Center for Healing, a multicultural, mental health center responsive to the needs of the diverse communities of Oregon.
Cecil and Celeste welcome Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia to gain some insight into the challenges facing black Oregonians who are in need of mental health care. How has it been recruiting and retaining doctors who are people of color? Are there hurdles that exist that are unique to Oregon? Call in and share your experiences,
Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, MD, is the Co-founder of The Capuia Foundation, Executive Director of Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU’s) Avel Gordly Center for Healing and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at OHSU. She earned a B.S. from Stanford University, M.D. from The George Washington University School of Medicine, completed four years of training in psychiatry and a fellowship in addiction medicine at OHSU. Dr. Alisha is board certified in both general adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. She has published on trauma and addiction. She holds several distinct honors, among them being the first African-American native Oregonian to become a licensed and board-certified psychiatrist. Additionally, she was the 2015 Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award recipient, Portland Business Journal 2016 '40 Under 40' honoree, and 2016-17 OHSU All Hill Student Council Faculty Award Nominee. While at OHSU, Dr. Moreland-Capuia developed the *Healing Hurt People Portland, a national violence prevention program, a partnership between Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare Inc. and Legacy Emanuel Hospital. Frequently tapped to advise on matters of medicine, public health and education, she serves on several boards to include: The Portland Development Commission, Oregon Historical Society, I Have A Dream Oregon, the Oregon Health Policy Board Healthcare Workforce Committee, former Mayoral appointee to the Community Oversight Advisory Board (COAB), which is a board that oversees the Department of Justice’s mandated reform for the Portland Police Bureau, and a former appointee to the Governor's Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs.