Source: Prostock-studio/ShutterstockEach July, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month invites important conversations about access, stigma, treatment, and the inequities that shape mental health outcomes across communities. We picture mental health as something that becomes relevant once a child can describe feeling anxious, withdrawn, overwhelmed, or sad. They provide the foundation for healthy brain development, strong mental health, and lifelong physical, emotional, and social well-being. Not every family has the same access to books, safe play spaces, high-quality early learning opportunities, pediatric guidance, or culturally responsive mental health support. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month should push us to think much earlier than that.