Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health:
Report from a NAMI Listening Session
Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are one of the fastest growing ethnic communities in the United States. While AAPIs tend to be healthier than whites and other ethnic groups, research suggests that AAPIs face many barriers when seeking mental health services in their communities, including stigma, lack of access to care, language challenges and lack of culturally and linguistically responsive providers.
Recognizing the unique needs of the AAPI community, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Multicultural Action Center hosted an Asian American/Pacific Islander Mental Health Listening Session on Nov. 4-5, 2010 in Los Angeles to discuss current issues in AAPI mental health.
The resulting proceedings report documents the diverse experiences of this community when dealing with mental health issues, including the many barriers and gaps AAPI individuals and families face when accessing services. The report also offers important recommendations to help mental health systems address these barriers.
Download Executive Summary
Download full report