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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Asian Health Coalition of Illinois Clarification Notice
November 11, 2009
The Asian Health Coalition of Illinois (AHCI) has recently learned about a new organization started by its former executive director, Dr. Hong Liu. The organization, The Illinois Consortium for Asian Health (ICAH), has a mission statement that is very similar to that of the Asian Health Coalition of Illinois. We have received questions from many of you stating that this new organization is creating a lot of confusion in the Asian Community, as well as for funders/potential funders. In fact, some of you have asked if Dr. Liu has returned to AHCI.
Based on the volume of inquiries, we want to clarify that the ICAH is an independent organization that has no affiliation with AHCI, and that Dr. Liu is not employed with, nor does she have any association with AHCI. Under the leadership of Marsha Ross-Jackson, JD, MPA and the AHCI Board of Directors, AHCI is continuing to successfully operate all of its existing programs. Additionally, AHCI has retained our staff with expertise in managing the existing programs. Further, AHCI has begun to expand its programs to broaden and enhance the services it provides to the APIA Communities. We look forward to continuing our working relationships with you.
Please direct all inquiries related to this release to Marsha Ross-Jackson at (312) 372-7070, ext. 223 or marsha@asianhealth.org.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Inquiries
Marsha Ross-Jackson
Interim Executive Director
Asian Health Coalition of Illinois
180 W. Washington Street, Suite 1000
Chicago IL 60602
(312) 372-7070, ext. 223
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Asian Health Coalition Organizational Change
August 27, 2009
The Asian Health Coalition of Illinois (AHCI) announced that it is well underway in its search for a new Executive Director, upon the departure of former Executive Director, Dr. Hong Liu.
AHCI remains grateful for all that Dr. Liu has contributed to the Coalition. "I want to thank Dr. Liu for her tireless work and dedication to the organization since 2005 and on behalf of the board, I wish her all the best in her future endeavors,” Dr. Kim added.
During this interim period, Marsha Ross-Jackson (J.D., M.P.A.) will assume the day-to-day leadership role reporting directly to the Board of Directors. “Marsha is experienced in HR and Operations management and she was most recently employed as a Director at Health Care Service Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield). She also has experience building strong working relationships and successfully navigating complex issues. Marsha’s experience and talents will be valuable assets to the organization during this transition," Board President, Dr. Kim said.
Dr. Kim also emphasized the importance of continuing AHCI’s strong operating and partnership model with Community Based Organizations. “The Asian Health Coalition is a unique and successful organization which has made significant contributions to the Asian American community and the Board of Directors will continue to furnish high-level support and leadership to the organization during this transition period,” Dr. Kim said.
Please direct all inquiries related to this release to Marsha Ross-Jackson at (773) 878-8969 or marsha@asianhealth.org
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Inquiries
Marsha Ross-Jackson
Interim Executive Director
Asian Health Coalition of Illinois
180 W. Washington Street, Suite 1000
Chicago IL 60602
(312) 372-7070, ext. 223
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HIV/AIDS and HEPATITIS AWARENESS DAY EVENT
Chicago, May 19, 2009: Please join Chicago community partners Asian Health Coalition of Illinois, The Center on Halsted, and the Chicago Department of Public Health in commemorating the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day. The event will take place at the Center on Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theater, located on 3656 N. Halsted Ave. on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 from 4-6 pm. The event will feature spoken word performances from the Multicultural Youth Project and Young Asians With Power!, Khmer youth dancers from the Cambodian Association of Illinois and more.
Free and confidential HIV testing will be provided by The Center on Halsted. The Asian Health Coalition and Hepatitis B Education Committee will be providing Hepatitis B screenings for the public from 2-4 pm.
Many Asian Americans don't know their HIV health status yet it is important to talk about some alarming statistics in this racial group.
- APIAs were the only racial group in the US to experience the highest percentage increase in new AIDS diagnoses in 2006 according to the CDC.
- Men account for roughly 86% of all cumulative AIDS cases among APIAs but women are increasingly feeling the impact due to sex trafficking and domestic violence.
- In a 2005 study of young APIA men who have sex with men (MSM), 47% reported engaging in unprotected sex yet 1 in every 4 APIA MSM will never take an HIV test due to perceived low risk, fear of the results, and/or fear of needles.
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a serious global health problem that affects Asians disproportionately.
- In the U.S., more than half of the 1.25 million chronic carriers of HBV are of Asian descent.
- 8-15% of Asian Americans are chronic carriers of Hepatitis B compared to 0.3% of the General U.S. population.
- Chronic HBV causes liver cancer. Liver cancer is the second most common cancer in Vietnamese Americans. Liver cancer rates are 13 times higher in Vietnamese American men vs. non-Asian men.
APIA HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is part of The Banyan Tree Project, a national social marketing campaign to stop HIV/AIDS-related stigma in APIA communities. This campaign is made possible with the generous support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. World Hepatitis Day was conceived of by the World Health Organization's Hepatitis Alliance to raise awareness about the alarming fact that 1 in 12 people worldwide are living with chronic Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.
The AHCI's mission is to improve the health and wellness of the pan-Asian community in Illinois through advocacy, technical assistance, public and community-based education and research.
CONTACT:
Annie Yeh, HIV Capacity Building Assistance
Project Coordinator
Office:773-878-3539
Fax:773-878-0783
Email: annie@asianhealth.org
Ginny Warren, Hepatitis Education and Prevention
Program Manager
Office:773-878-0017
Fax: 773-878-0783
Email: ginny@asianhealth.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HEPATITIS EDUCATION and PPREVENTION PROGRAM (HEPP) EXPANSION
CHICAGO, IL DECEMBER 9, 2008: The Asian Health Coalition of Illinois (AHCI) is pleased to announce the award of a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the Viral Hepatitis model program diffusion. Collaborating with Chinese, Lao, Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Pilipino, and South Asian community organizations, and in cooperation with the Illinois and Cook County Departments of Public Health, the AHCI will expand its Chicago-based Hepatitis Education and Prevention Program (HEPP) to Asian American communities in suburban Cook County.
Hepatitis B is a serious global health problem that affects Asians disproportionately. Of the 2 billion people infected with the hepatitis B virus worldwide, more than 350 million have chronic (lifelong) infections. Chronically infected persons are at high risk for cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure, diseases that kill about 1 million persons each year.
Research conducted by the Asian Health Coalition of IL from 2001 to 2006, reveals that chronic hepatitis B infection is present in 5% to 15% of Asians living in the Chicago area (rates vary by ethnic group), far higher than the 1%-2% prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection in the general U.S. population.
The good news is that hepatitis B is preventable with safe and effective vaccines for children and adults. And early detection through screening is key to preventing the onset of serious liver disease in those who are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus.
The Asian Health Coalition of IL has over ten years of experience building collaborations among Asian American communities in Chicago and metropolitan areas, working to improve health and wellness through advocacy, community-based health education, advocacy, research and program capacity building.
If you are interested in joining the Advisory Council for this initiative, or wish further information, please contact:
Virginia Warren,RN/MPH., Program Manager
Asian Health Coalition of IL
Office: 773-878-0017
Fax: 773-878-0783
Email: ginny@asianhealth.org
Hong Liu,PhD., Executive Director
Asian Health Coalition of IL
Office: 773-878-8969
Fax: 773-878-0783
Email: hong@asianhealth.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM (SAPP)
Chicago, April 20, 2009: The Asian Health Coalition of Illinois (AHCI) and the Coalition for Asian Substance Abuse Prevention (CASAP) are pleased to announce that three Chicago public schools, John C. Haines Elementary School, James Ward Elementary School, and Robert S. Abbott Elementary School, in the communities of Armour Square and Bridgeport have begun implementing Project Northland this week.
Project Northland is a school-based, substance abuse prevention curriculum designed to (1) delay the age at which adolescents begin consuming alcohol, (2) reduce the number of adolescents currently drinking, and (3) decrease the number of alcohol-related problems experienced by adolescents who use. The curriculum involves students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades along with their peers, parents, and communities in the effort to prevent underage drinking. Project Northland will continue to be implemented during the fall of the next school year at the three Chicago public schools. Recruitment of additional schools to participate in the intervention will also occur to begin implementation the following spring.
AHCI began this initiative in June 2007 when it was awarded a three-year grant by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to lead the effort for developing and implementing a comprehensive plan for substance abuse prevention in the Asian community of Bridgeport and Armour Square. Currently, the program is now in its implementation phase. The first phase involved capacity-building through the formation of a community coalition. An assessment of the community's needs and resources to prevent substance abuse among adolescents soon followed. A strategic plan outlining approaches for prevention based on the data collected from the needs assessment formed the third phase of the program.
In December 2008, AHCI, in collaboration with IDHS and the Chinese American Service League (CASL), held a town hall meeting as a kickoff event for the implementation phase of the substance abuse prevention program. The purpose of this meeting was to increase awareness of the barriers to mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment for Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).
The AHCI's mission is to improve the health and wellness of all Asian American Pacific Islanders in Illinois through advocacy, technical assistance, public and community-based education and research.
If you wish to obtain further information, please contact Meme Wang or Dr. Hong Liu as listed above.
CONTACT:
Meme Wang,MPH., Program Manager
Asian Health Coalition of Illinois
Office: 773-878-0035
Fax: 773-878-0783
Email: meme@asianhealth.org
Hong Liu,PhD., Executive Director
Asian Health Coalition of Illinois
Office: 773-878-8969
Fax: 773-878-0783
Email: hong@asianhealth.org
