Missing in Action: Marriage and Family Therapy Programs at HBCUs

Hello again, I recently read an article in the Family Therapy Magazine that highlighted the lack of MFT programs at HBCUs (Anderson, 2020)? HBCUs were created to provide a sanctuary for members of the Black community to promote and sustain black excellence, because members in this community experienced separatism, discrimination, and physical violence for attempting to seek solace in education in hopes of providing a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities (Anderson, 2020). With the decline in marriage rates among African Americans and a surge in divorce rates in this same population, would it not make sense to add MFT programs at HBCUs? This would help propel this field forward in thinking in a context that is more ethnically diverse, because it opens the door to establish theories, interventions, and assessments that are tailor-made for individuals of color. How can we dismantle "white supremacist ideologies and Eurocentric practices" when the field is inundated with the belief that "Whiteness" is the standard that should be upheld, because all major theorists were white, all accredited programs exist at historically White institutions, the majority of faculty members and clinical supervisors are white, AAMFT presidents have been white, along with past and present editors of journals in the field of Marriage and Family therapy have been white (Anderson, 2020). It makes one wonder, are black marriages and families valued? It is currently 2020, and individuals of color are still fighting for inclusion and this ultimately impacts the effectiveness of our work because if we as therapist are not advocating for change than we too are on the side of the oppressor (Anderson, 2020).  Our misconception is that individuals in the Black community do not pay attention to their mental health needs, but maybe just maybe it could be that this collectivist community has been disproportionately misdiagnosed and mistreated which created the perception to mistrust. It is difficult to have faith in a system that was purposely designed to exploit Black people. In order to gain momentum in rebuilding healthy and successful marriages and families within the Black community it starts with building more Black systematically-trained clinicians. 

One solution, create MFT programs at HBCUs.

References:

Anderson, L.A. (2020). "Why aren't there any mft programs at historically black colleges or universities?" Family Therapy Magazine. July/August. pp. 16-19.