MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

1
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND
PACIFIC ISLANDERS

• STEVEN P. SHON, M.D.

2
DISPARITIES IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR RACIAL AND
ETHNIC MINORITIES

• Minorities have less access to, and availability
  of, mental health services
• Minorities are less likely to receive needed
  mental health services
• Minorities in treatment often receive a poorer
  quality of mental health care
• Minorities are underrepresented in mental health
  research
• Mental Health
  Culture, Race, and
• Ethnicity, a Supplement to the Surgeon
  Generals Report on Mental Health

3
ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

• Fastest growing racial group in U.S.
• 4 of U.S. population
• Projected in 2020 to be 6 of U.S. population (20
  million people)
• Over 60 of AA/PI are foreign born
• 43 different ethnic groups
• Over 100 different languages and dialects
• 54 live in West, 17 in the South, 18 in the
  Northwest, and 11 in the Midwest
• 44 age 25 or older have college or professional
  degrees (28 of whites) but almost two-thirds of
  Cambodians, Hmong, and Laotians have not
  completed high school

4
CULTURE CONFLICT

• Culture of MH Treatment System vs Culture of
  AA/PI Communities
• The greater the congruency the more likely
  treatment will succeed.
• Question Which circle should move for
  congruency?

MH System
AA/PI Consumer
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BARRIERS TO TREATMENT

• Cultural Dissonance
• System Individual staff (lack of
  bicultural staff)
• Communication
• Language (lack of bilingual providers)
  Communication
• style (indirect, non verbal)
• Stigma and Shame
• Shame is a powerful cultural influence
• Lack of Integration with Other Caregivers
• Primary care Traditional caregivers
• Lack of Research
• Evidence base Validation of models
• Cultural Competency Implementation
• Shift organizational culture systemic
  plan training
• resource commitment monitoring
• 
  

6
VISION FOR THE FUTURE

• Continue to Expand Science Base
• Improve Access to Treatment
• Reduce Barriers to Treatment
• Improve Quality of Care
• Support Capacity Development
• Promote Mental Health
• Ch. 7, Mental Health Culture, Race,
• and Ethnicity

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PRIORITIES FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC
ISLANDERS

• Organize Existing and Future Knowledge
• Aggregate knowledge (clearinghouse)
• Develop guidelines and tools (assessment,
  treatment, etc)
• Develop training models and curricula
• Disseminate Knowledge Through A Systematic
  Process
• Distribute products (tools, curricula, etc)
• Provide technical assistance and training
• Create uniform expectations
• 
  
  

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PRIORITIES FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC
ISLANDERS

• Develop New Knowledge
• Research
• Evaluation of outcomes
• Develop Capacity Cultural Competent Staff And
  Systems of Care
• AA/PI professionals
• AA/PI paraprofessionals
• Ethnic specific services
• Non AA/PI MH staff clinical and
  administrative
• Partner With AA/PI Communities