The APA is pleased to recognize Asian American/ Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Awareness Month this May. May was chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843 and the contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869.

The AAPI community is made up of more than 30 distinct subpopulations with differing cultures, religions, traditions, and beliefs, speaking more than 100 different languages. U.S. Census figures show that the AAPI population grew at a rate about five times that of the national rate between 1990 and 2000 making it one of the fastest growing populations in the country.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made names for themselves in the fields of music, acting, fashion, athletics, academia, medicine, science, literature, cuisine, and many more. Immigrants from Asia and the Pacific have contributed so much to the rich American tapestry.

Despite these achievements, there is a serious lack of data to offer an accurate picture of issues affecting AAPIs (1). Primary health, housing, employment, education, economic status, acculturation, immigration, legal issues, etc. -- all impact one's emotional well being, yet hard data on the mental health status of AAPIs are difficult to find. Stigma, limited English proficiency and different cultural norms about what constitutes appropriate mental health interventions make it difficult to ascertain the prevalence of mental illness among AAPIs.

The APA Office of Minority and National Affairs, the Council on Minority Mental Health and Health Disparities and the APA Committee of Asian American Psychiatrists has identified the elimination of mental health disparities as a top priority and are engaged in a number of initiatives to that end. Through public awareness campaigns to promote a better understanding of mental illness, outreach to communities about the significance of disparities in mental health, alliances and collaborations with professional associations and family and consumer organizations, they are dedicated to helping AAPIs and all Americans achieve optimal mental health and well-being.

Please use the resources on this page to learn more about AAPIs, mental health, and other issues that affect AAPI communities.

Expert Opinion

This month, Surinder S. Nand, M.D.,Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Associate Director, Psychiatry Residency Training and Education Program University of Illinois at Chicago and Chair of APA Committee of Asian American Psychiatrists, answers questions about mental health within the Asian American/Pacific Islander community. [Read more...]

APA Let’s Talk Facts Brochures

New Fact Sheet!
Mental Health in Asian American and Pacific Islanders

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Other featured Let's Talk Facts Brochures for this month








Depression
Anxiety Disorders
Phobias




Community Resources

NAAPIMHA.org 
The National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) advocates on behalf of AAPI mental health issues, to serve as a forum for effective collaboration and to network among stake holders of community based organizations, consumers, family members, service providers, program developers, researchers, evaluators and policy makers.  It also will work in collaboration with other national organizations designed to address related AAPI issues such as health and substance abuse.

Offers downloadable information on topics such as Depression, Bipolar, and Schizophrenia in five different languages. (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Khmer, Hmong, as well as English) http://naapimha.org/issues/Consumers.html

(1)- Source: White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Interim Report to the President, January 17, 2001.

APIAHF.org
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) is a national advocacy organization dedicated to promoting policy, program, and research efforts to improve the health and well-being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and and other Pacific Islander (AA,NHOPI) communities. Founded in 1986, APIAHF approaches activities with the philosophy of coalition-building and developing capacity within local AA,NHOPI communities. They advocate on health issues of significance to AA,NHOPI communities, conduct community-based technical assistance and training, provide health and U.S. Census data analysis and information dissemination, and convene regional and national conferences on AA,NHOPI health.

NICOSCHC.org  
NICOS Chinese Health Coalition is a public-private-community partnership of more than 30 health and human service organizations and concerned individuals. NICOS' mission is to enhance the health and wellness of San Francisco's Chinese community.

It sponsors the Chinese Community Problem Gambling Project, which helps build the Chinese community’s capacity to address the problem of gambling. http://www.nicoschc.com/ccpgp.html

NAWHO.org; http://nawho.org/mentalhealth.html
National Asian Women’s Health Organization is a national non-profit health organization with a mission to achieve health equity for Asian women and families. Its goals are:  to raise awareness about the health needs of Asian Americans through research and education; support Asian Americans as decision-makers through leadership development and advocacy; and strengthen systems serving Asian Americans through partnerships and capacity building. NAWHO has provided research and information about the health of Asian Americans to the public health field, as well as critically-needed health education to the Asian American community.

NAWHO’s Domestic Violence Prevention Curriculum: http://www.nawho.org/vioprevent.html