Racial and ethnic minorities who are uninsured in the United States encounter significant obstacles when trying to access mental healthcare. Throughout history, the care systems in the U.S. have been established without sufficient evidence at the federal, state, and local levels. This has led to disparities in the accessibility of quality care for minority populations. The impact of these disparities is particularly noticeable in community-based mental health services, which receive funding from federal programs and primarily cater to historically marginalized groups.
Access to Care...The Reality.
- Cost for group support sessions can range in excess of $100 and options available in various counties are very limited to support those with Mental Illness (Mi) and/or their parents and caregivers.
- Students with Intellectual Learning Disabilities (iLD) can often show similar behavior concerns as those with Mental Illness resulting in over disciplining by family members, caregivers, and/or school/educational staff. Limited support options for families and staff to understand and appropriately support persons with ILDs contributes to these actions.
Subscribe for Community Events
Meet The Board
Avie Banks
Founder and Chair
Avie Banks gained her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a dual MBA/MHA from Pfeiffer University. Avie has over 20 years of experience in several roles within pharmaceutical research.
Avie is a licensed real estate agent with Banks Realty Group, LLC, and a published author (95 Days in the NICU). In the community, Avie is an active member of the Charlotte Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. She is also the Development Committee Chair of the Victory Junction board of directors and is pursuing her Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has been married to Bonswa Banks for over 20 years; they are the proud parents of Kenya and Clayton and reside in NC.
My Why: I founded MiiLD, after many years of navigating and advocating for loved ones with mental illness and intellectual disabilities, MiiLD became a project to give back to the community by providing access, resources, and connections as others navigate similar journeys.
Nakilia McCray
Board Member
Nakilia McCray comes to MiiLD with a wealth of experience Early Childhood Development and facilitating technical assistance to child care providers throughout the Southeast. Nakilia spent 17 years with Georgia’s Lead Agency where she worked as a Licensing Consultant, Quality Improvement Specialist and ended her last few years as a Child Care Technical Assistant Manager. Early in her career, Nakilia worked directly with children and families as a Toddler Lead Teacher and Director for a nationally recognized employee-sponsored child care provider. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Early Childhood Development from Appalachian State University. She is a current Bank Street College of Education Early Childhood Policy Fellow. As a Fellow, she will examine real-world challenges and problems of practice through a capstone project that will focus on “Amplifying Family and Community Voice in Human Service Policy Development.” She is currently a Senior Regional Program Specialist with the Office of Child Care where she provides oversight and guidance to state and tribal lead agencies. She is a loving wife and mother of three daughters. In her very limited free time, you can find her at a music concert, watching historical documentaries, or enjoying different restaurants in the Atlanta area. Nakilia is committed to nurturing children’s growth and dedicated to shaping policies for a better future.
Nakilia Grier McCray
"Speed is the enemy of equity." ~Sherri Killins Stewart
