By Eric Lindberg
When Associate Professor Karen Lincoln joined the USC School of Social Work, she quickly noticed a critical issue in the lower-income areas of Los Angeles. Despite experiencing high rates of mental illness and other chronic health conditions, older African-American residents were struggling to access care and seemed to be slipping through the cracks.
“I’ve always been involved in the community, and I really see a need here,” Lincoln said. “I don’t see advocacy for African-American elders in particular. We have a very diverse city, but there seems to be a lack of visibility of this population.”
In an effort to boost awareness and help older African-Americans advocate for their own health and mental health needs, Lincoln has launched a collaborative effort with an array of governmental, nonprofit and community groups.
The outreach and engagement partnership, known as Advocates for African-American Elders, includes community activists and leaders from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Pacific Clinics, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Ward Economic Development Corp., the California Senior Leaders program and local churches.