Remember when sitting down to dinner at your favorite neighborhood spot was no big deal? And when we didn’t have to stand six feet apart?

I miss all of that. This past year has been isolating, unpredictable and plain uncertain. But even while we’re working 30% more and on Zoom for what feels like 24/7, there are signs that things will get better.

One thing that gives me hope: There are already vaccines to protect us against this virus. I see a light at the end of this tunnel.

But we still don’t know when vaccines will be widely available. I worry about the uncertainty felt by essential workers—like teachers and grocery store clerks—and those who are undocumented about when they’ll get vaccinated. The uncertainty is all the more when our communities of color and undocumented people don’t trust the health care system that is administering this vaccine due to decades of mistreatment and systemic racism.

This uncertainty and mistrust is just the latest in a growing list of ways the pandemic hurts our mental health. It’s hard to retain hope if there’s no end in sight—we lose hope that someone supports us. Right now, there aren’t enough behavioral health care resources in our communities to manage the ongoing mental health and substance use treatment crisis. We need to fix this and start to heal.

I believe we can build a better mental health care system, one rooted in mutual respect, shared decision-making, trust, and strong confidence in the providers of mental health services. A system that can be accessed independent of insurance or citizenship status, and that supports people when they need it most. Without this support, we’re just plugging holes on a sinking ship.

It’s important that community members—especially those who have been ignored—be fully engaged in rebuilding our behavioral health care system. We need to invest in the mental health of adolescents and emerging adults, those aged 18-26, so we can offer them a brighter future. The only way we will grow hope and trust is by listening to what communities want and need—and valuing their expertise as we solve this crisis together.

Community groups around the country are already showing that these strategies work. But we need to scale up their efforts. Call me an eternal optimist, but I know the future is bright. With enough resources, open conversations, and empathy, we can turn our uncertainty into hope.

Thanks for starting this journey with me.

Cariños,
Margarita