Child psychiatry was not built to protect children of color — and its origins prove it.

The field's leading organization, AACAP, has never formally reckoned with its racist past.

Widely used interventions like MST locate pathology in children of color rather than in racist structures.

Parents of color deserve full informed consent before entering a system not designed for their children.

Providers and health organizations alike encourage children and families to pursue mental healthcare as if it were universally healing. Amidst the ongoing pediatric mental health crisis — characterized by increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts — "access to quality mental healthcare" remains the prevailing discourse. But what if child psychiatry was not originated or designed to protect and serve your children's best interests? What if it refused to acknowledge the unique harms facing your child? What if it carried unstated risks of harm that are not accounted for in these general recommendations to pursue it?

The Role and History of the AACAP in Child Mental Health

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (AACAP) was founded in 1953. It is now one of the country’s leading child mental health organizations, issuing clinical guidelines for treatment, establishing research agendas, and influencing the training of future child psychiatrists.

However, for most of its existence, AACAP has largely remained silent regarding social issues impacting children of color. Its original constitution made no mention of racism. Furthermore, amidst the Civil Rights Movement and racial reckoning taking place nationwide (1962-1967), AACAP’s official journal made no mention of racism. This silence is remarkable because Black children like Ruby Bridges, Elizabeth Eckford (part of the Little Rock 9), and Walter Gadsden were........

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