Black History Month: Honoring Mental Health Leaders

This Black History Month, we continue recognizing individuals whose work shaped mental health care and expanded access for underserved communities.

Dr. E. Kitch Childs was a trailblazing clinical psychologist, activist, and advocate. In 1969, she helped found the Association for Women in Psychology, addressing the lack of research centered on women’s experiences. She was also the first African American woman to earn a doctorate in Human Development from the The University of Chicago.

Dr. Childs practiced feminist therapy and centered her work on the experiences of Black women. She owned her own practice, where she provided affirming care to LGBTQ+ individuals, people living with HIV/AIDS, and others often excluded from traditional mental health systems.

Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Childs was a leader in social change. She helped found Chicago’s Gay Liberation Front and Chicago Lesbian Liberation, which played a role in organizing the city’s first Pride event in 1970. In 1993, she was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame for her advocacy and efforts to challenge the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder.

Her legacy reminds us that inclusive, affirming mental health care has long been shaped by leaders who saw gaps—and worked to fill them.

Looking for support or resources?

Learn more and find local help through NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania: www.nami.org

Find mental health and substance use services via SAMHSA: findtreatment.gov

In a crisis, call or text 988 — available 24/7.

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