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18 McGill J.L. & Health 1 (2026)

handle is hein.journals/mcghealp18 and id is 1 raw text is: MCGILL JOURNAL OF LAW AND HEALTH ~ REVUE DE DROIT ET SANTE DE MCGILL DELIVERING CULTURALLY COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE: A LEGAL INTERVENTION FOR BLACK IMMIGRANTS IN ONTARIO CANADA Emmanuel Ihuoma Nwatu* Discrimination in mental health treatment systems is an ongoing structural and system- ic problem, especially for Black immigrant groups in Ontario, Canada. The absence of culturally competent mental health treat- ments, socio-economic disparities, and in- stitutional racism all pose major barriers to Black immigrants' access to adequate care. Despite Canada's multicultural reputation and universal health care model, Black immi- grants disproportionately experience psychi- atric hospitalizations, and mental health programs that frequently fail to effectively address their cultural requirements. Drawing from an analysis of Ontario's Anti-Racism Act, 2017 and Mental Health Act (OMIHA), this study applies a critical race theory (CRT) La discrimination au sein des systemes de traitement en sante mentale constitue un probleme structurel et systemique per- sistant, particulierement pour les groupes d'immigrants noirs en Ontario, au Canada. L'absence de soins en sante mentale cul- turellement adaptds, les disparites socio6- conomiques et le racisme institutionnel representent tous des obstacles majeurs & l'acces des immigrants noirs & des soins adequats. Malgr6 la reputation multicul- turelle du Canada et son modele de soins de sante universels, les immigrants noirs connaissent de maniere disproportionnde des hospitalisations psychiatriques, ainsi que des programmes de sante mentale qui ne repondent souvent pas efficacement A leurs * Emmanuel Ihuoma Nwatu, LL.B, LLM, is a PhD candidate at the Uni- versity of Ottawa's Faculty of Law where his research focuses on decol- onization of mental health law in the Global South. * Emmanuel Ihuoma Nwatu, LL.B, LLM, est doctorant A la Facultd de droit de l'Universit6 d'Ottawa oi ses recherches portent sur la ddcoloni- sation du droit en matibre de sante mentale dans les pays du sud. © Emmanuel Ihuoma Nwatu, 2026. Citation: Emmanuel Ihuoma Nwatu, Delivering Culturally Competent Mental Health Care: A Legal Intervention for Black Immigrants in Ontario Canada (2026) 19:1 McGill JL & Health 1. Reference: Emmanuel Ihuoma Nwatu, « Delivering Culturally Competent Mental Health Care: A Legal Intervention for Black Immigrants in Ontario Canada » (2026) 19:1 RD & JL sant McGill 1.