Racism and xenophobia take a serious toll on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Research has found that racism and discrimination have a significant negative impact on mental health. In addition, communities subjected to othering by the dominant racial group are prone to mental health concerns, including an increased risk for anxiety and depression.
Online resources can be a particularly important tool for providing advice, support, and information on mental health for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Mental Health Resources
Asian American Psychological Association
The Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) focuses on using research, education, policy, and professional practice to advance the mental health and well-being of Asian American communities.
<p”>In addition to advocacy and research, AAPA also provides fact sheets on Asian American mental health concerns, anti-bullying information, and Asian American LGBTQ resources.
Asian Mental Health Collective
The Asian Mental Health Collective is an organization focused on de-stigmatizing mental health within Asian communities. It provides the APISAA Therapist Directory, a directory of therapists located in most states and Washington, DC who specialize in serving Asian American, South Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities.
National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
The National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) is a resource provider for mental health services for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians. The organization provides a resource list of state-level programs designed to meet AAPI-community mental health needs.
In addition to a list of services available in all 50 states, the organization also provides links to general mental health resources.
South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network
The South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network (SAMHIN) is a non-profit that works to address the mental health needs of South Asian folks living in the United States.
It provides a list of mental health providers who specialize in offering services to the South Asian community. In addition, its provider directory allows you to search by languages spoken, location, and service type.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers a section of its website with resources specifically for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
In addition to providing an overview of some barriers to mental health care for members of these communities (including stigma, language barriers, and lack of culturally competent providers), NAMI also has seminars available in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese, as well as links to culturally sensitive support groups.
Asian American Health Initiative
The Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) was created by the Maryland Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. While its mission is to improve the health and wellness of Asian Americans living in Montgomery Country, Maryland, the site also provides useful general resources in Traditional Chinese, Korean, Hindi, and Vietnamese languages.
Topics covered include getting mental health care, dealing with stress, building resilience, and staying active for well-being.
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) brings together lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations.
Its goal is to help local groups by providing education, leadership development, collaboration, and visibility to help challenge racism and anti-LGBTQ bias. It also provides a directory of Asian and Pacific Islander healers and therapists.
Mental Health Resources on Instagram
There are also a number of great Instagram accounts that offer mental health information and resources for Asian communities. Some accounts to follow include:
- @asiansdotherapy
- @asianmentalhealthcollective
- @asianmentalhealthproject
- @asiansformentalhealth
- @browngirltherapy
- @itsjiyounkim
- @hieupham.lcsw
- @projectlotusorg
- @southasiantherapists
- @themindhealthspot
Excerpted from “17 Mental Health Resources For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” in VeryWellMind. Read the full post online.
Source: VeryWellMind | 17 Mental Health Resources For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, https://www.verywellmind.com/mental-health-resources-for-asian-pacific-islander-communities-5116843 | Ⓒ 2024 Dotdash Media, Inc.
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