National Network to Eliminate Disparities (NNED)
Partner of the Month

 
In order to highlight pockets of excellence across the country the NNED selects an organization to highlight once a month.  In honor of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month this May the NNED has selected three organizations that serve the behavioral health needs of Asian American communities: Wisconsin Refugee Assistance Program, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, and Asian Health Coalition of Illinois.

These three organizations were selected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the NNED to present at a roundtable discussion and presentation on May 25, 2010 at the SAMHSA building in Rockville, Maryland in honor of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.

• Wisconsin Refugee Assistance Program, Madison, Wisconsin
  The Refugee Assistance Services Program Section, on behalf of the State of Wisconsin, manages and monitors contracts for programs that are designed to assist refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency and social self-sufficiency. All of these programs are funded through the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement. The services are provided by partner agencies who are responsible for comprehensive, bilingual & bicultural employment services as well as supportive services that may include health screening, English as a Second Language & family-focused case management. Employment services may include assessment, vocational training, job application support, job referral, job retention, and job upgrading.
  
  
• Asian Americans for Community Involvement, San Jose, California
  Focusing on the diverse Asian American community, Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)’s mission is to improve the health, mental health, and well-being of individuals and their families by providing an array of human services. AACI empowers the Asian American community by working collaboratively for equality and social justice. Current programs include mental health and primary care health services, HIV/AIDS prevention and education, breast cancer education, substance abuse treatment, targeted substance abuse prevention services to Vietnamese youths, psychological, psychiatric and case management services for survivors of torture, problem gambling services, programs and shelter for women and children who are domestic violence victims, a senior center, after-school youth programs, English and citizenship classes, and advocacy.
  
  
• Asian Health Coalition of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois
  The Asian Health Coalition of Illinois's (AHCI) mission is to improve the health and well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Illinois through advocacy, technical assistance,education, and community-based research. AHCI has two successful programs to address substance abuse in Chicago’s Asian communities: the Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) and the Asian American Substance Abuse Intervention Initiative 2 (AASAII-2). In tandem, they benefit various Asian ethnic communities, including the Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese populations and target youth, families, and seniors. Geographically, the two substance abuse programs operate in distinct Chicago community areas (Chinatown and Uptown) which are both major portals of entry for newly-arrived Asian immigrants and refugees as well as established enclaves for second and third generation families.