THERE IT GOES. ALL RIGHT. GOOD
MORNING, EVERYBODY, WE'RE GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. I
KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF
OTHER MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO
BE POPPING IN. THERE'S OTHER
SELECT COMMITTEES THAT ARE
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND OTHER
COMMITTEE HEARINGS THAT ARE
GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME. AND
SO WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER
MEMBERS KIND OF POP IN FOR A
BIT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET THIS
SELECT COMMITTEE FOR MENTAL
HEALTH ACCESSIBILITY WITH
NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES
STARTED. AND TODAY FOR THIS
HEARING, IT'S SPECIFIC AROUND
OUR AA AND NHPI COMMUNITIES, I'M
ASSEMBLY MEMBER STEPHANIE NGUYEN
. I WANT TO THANK THOSE THAT ARE
HERE TODAY FOR BEING HERE. JUST
A REMINDER THAT THIS IS JUST AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING, WHICH
MEANS THAT THE INFORMATION THAT
IS SHARED TODAY, THE INFORMATION
THAT IS GIVEN TODAY, WILL BE
INFORMATION THAT OUR LEGISLATORS
, OUR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
SPECIFICALLY WILL BE ABLE TO
TAKE THE INFORMATION AND NOT
ONLY SHARE IT, BUT IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HEAR FROM
OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, TOO, I
ASK THAT WE KEEP APPLAUSE, YOU
KNOW, AFTER SPEAKERS, TO
OURSELVES, I ASK THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE NOT SHOUT OR WHATNOT. YOU ALL
LOOK LIKE A GREAT GROUP OF FOLKS
THAT PROBABLY WILL NOT DO THAT.
BUT I HAVE TO MENTION IT ANYWAY.
WE ARE ON A TIME CRUNCH AND IT'S
AN HOUR AND A HALF HEARING
BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE
RESPECTFUL OF NOT ONLY YOUR
TIME, BUT OTHER MEMBERS TIME WHO
HAVE OTHER AREAS THEY HAVE TO BE
. AND THERE'S A BIG EVENT TODAY
FOR OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION,
ACTUALLY, TODAY THAT WE'RE
CELEBRATING. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD
AND GET STARTED, I WANT TO GO
AHEAD AND LET OUR ASSEMBLY
MEMBER INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. HI,
EVERYONE. I'M THE CHAIR FOR
EVERY HEARING I THINK THAT WE
ALL HAVE LISTENED TO ALL THE
SPEAKERS AND ALL THE EXTRA, YOU
KNOW, IN THE FIELD AND, AND, AND
WHICH ONE OF YOU. THANKS. GREAT.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER. I'LL
GO AHEAD AND ASK OUR PRESENTERS
TO COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES. AND THEN I THINK
THERE IS AN ORDER IN WHICH YOU
WANTED TO PRESENT THE
INFORMATION.
TESTING. OKAY. GREAT THANK YOU.
ANDREW, THANK YOU TO THIS
COMMITTEE FOR HOLDING THIS
IMPORTANT HEARING ON THE MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS OF THE AAPI
COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO
ESPECIALLY THANK CHAIR STEPHANIE
NGUYEN FOR CHAMPIONING THIS
OPPORTUNITY FOR US. MY NAME IS
TIÂU KWAK. I AM THE PRESIDENT AT
ASIAN HEALTH SERVICES. WE'RE A
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH
CENTER IN ALAMEDA COUNTY, AND WE
PROVIDE MEDICAL, DENTAL,
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TO 50,000
PATIENTS IN 14 DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES, 12 OF WHICH ARE ASIAN
LANGUAGES. AND WE'VE BEEN AROUND
FOR 50 YEARS. THIS IS OUR 50
YEAR ANNIVERSARY. WE HAVE LONG
SEEN THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES FOR OUR DIVERSE
PATIENTS, WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED
SO MUCH PAST AND PRESENT TRAUMA,
YET THERE ARE MANY BARRIERS THAT
PREVENT THEM FROM SEEKING AND
ACCESSING MUCH NEEDED MENTAL
HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OF THE UNMET
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, AS WELL AS
OTHER PRIORITY AREAS SUCH AS
LANGUAGE ACCESS AND DATA
DISAGGREGATION. IN 2022, ASIAN
HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDED AN
ESTABLISHED. I'M JUST TRYING TO
SEE WHAT THAT NOISE IS.
ESTABLISH THE CALIFORNIA AANHPI
HEALTH EQUITY COALITION, A
STATEWIDE COALITION WITH OTHER
LEAD ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING
INCLUDING ASIAN RESOURCE INC,
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICANS IN
ACTION AND ORANGE COUNTY ASIAN
PACIFIC ISLANDER ALLIANCE APICHA
TO ADVANCE ON THE HEALTH EQUITY
AGENDA THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF THE
AA AND NHPI COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE
OVER 50 ORGANIZATION MEMBERS.
YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM TWO OF
OUR COALITION MEMBERS, PETER G.
FROM LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE
CENTER, AS WELL AS NATALIE
ASSOON FROM RAMOS. IN ADDITION,
A NUMBER OF OUR COALITION
MEMBERS AND PARTNERS ARE HERE IN
THE AUDIENCE TO SHOW THEIR
SUPPORT. AS A COALITION. WE
RECOGNIZE THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS
A PRIORITY ISSUE FOR THE AANHPI
POPULATIONS, AS THESE
COMMUNITIES FACE COMPOUNDED
IMPACTS OF MIGRATION AND
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA
EXPERIENCES OF OTHERING AND
DISCRIMINATION, AND THE MODEL
MINORITY MYTH THAT GASLIGHTS THE
MANY CHALLENGES AAPIS FACE. YET
UNDERUTILIZATION OF MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES AND
UNDER-DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN
CONSISTENTLY DOCUMENTED.
CULTURAL FACTORS SUCH AS STIGMA
AS WELL AS STRUCTURAL BARRIERS
LIKE LANGUAGE ACCESS, LACK OF
LANGUAGE ACCESS, CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE SERVICES, HEALTH
COVERAGE, AND ACCESS, AND
KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMPLEX MENTAL
HEALTH SYSTEMS CONTRIBUTE TO
THESE DISPARITIES. IN ADDITION,
THE LACK OF DISAGGREGATED DATA
MASKS WITHIN GROUP DISPARITIES.
AS A RESULT, THE CHALLENGES
FACED BY AANHPI REYES BECOME
INVISIBLE, AND THIS PERPETUATES
THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH. THIS
HAS CONCERNING CONSEQUENCES,
INCLUDING MINIMIZING RESOURCE
ALLOCATION, DISMISSING THE NEED
FOR TARGETED STRATEGIES, AND
PROMOTING SELF DOUBT ABOUT
SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP. ALL
OF WHICH IN TURN FEED INTO A
VICIOUS CYCLE THAT FURTHER
CONTRIBUTES TO UNDERUTILIZATION
AND UNDER-DIAGNOSIS. TODAY, I
WANT TO FOCUS ON TWO MAJOR
ISSUES DATA EQUITY AS WELL AS
WORKFORCE SHORTAGES. A MAJOR
UNDERLYING FACTOR PERPETUATING
THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH LIES
WITH THE INACCURATE AND
INADEQUATE DATA ON MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS. FOR AANHPI LÀ LACK OF
DISAGGREGATED DATA, MASSIVE
DISPARITIES WITHIN AND AMONG
AANHPI GROUPS FOR EXAMPLE,
DESPITE SIGNIFICANT MENTAL
HEALTH STRESSORS, THE STATEWIDE
CALIFORNIA HEALTH INTERVIEW
SURVEY CHESS SHOWS THAT 16% OF
ASIAN AMERICANS REPORTED THE
NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT,
WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE
CALIFORNIA'S OVERALL POPULATION
OF 24. BUT WHEN THE DATA IS
DISAGGREGATED BY ETHNICITY AND
BY AGE GROUP, WE SEE THAT MORE
APPARENT DISPARITIES, SUCH AS
43% OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN
ADOLESCENTS REPORTED NEEDING
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT COMPARED
TO CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE
ADOLESCENT AVERAGE OF ONLY 34.
SIMILARLY WHILE 6% OF ALL ASIAN
OLDER ADULTS THOUGHT ABOUT
SUICIDE IN THE LAST YEAR WHEN
DISAGGREGATED, 16% OF KOREAN
OLDER ADULTS CONTEMPLATED
SUICIDE. IN ADDITION, THERE HAS
AND CONTINUES TO BE LIMITED
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH THAT
INCLUDES AA AND NPIS. THOSE
STUDIES THAT DO INCLUDE THESE
POPULATIONS OFTEN ONLY HAVE
SMALL SAMPLES WITH INSUFFICIENT
DISAGGREGATED DATA. FURTHERMORE
FOR MANY, SURVEYS ARE NOT
CONDUCTED IN LANGUAGE. THUS
EXCLUDING AANHPI POPULATIONS
WITH LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY. SOME STUDIES THAT
UTILIZE IN LANGUAGE SURVEY AND
SCREENING INSTRUMENTS HAVE SHOWN
GREATER MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS
AND UNDERUTILIZATION AMONG
AANHPI RESPONDENTS, UNDERSCORING
THE NEED FOR MORE LINGUISTICALLY
INCLUSIVE RESEARCH. FOR DECADES,
OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE ADVOCATED
FOR ACCURATE DATA AS IT IS
PARAMOUNT TO ADVANCING HEALTH
EQUITY. WE CAN'T ADDRESS
DISPARITIES IMPACTING
COMMUNITIES UNLESS WE CAN
UNCOVER THE TRUE INEQUITIES IS.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS REALLY AROUND
WORKFORCE. THE PANDEMIC
EXACERBATED THE NEED FOR MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES, WHILE EXPOSING
OUR NATION'S SEVERE MENTAL
HEALTH WORKFORCE SHORTAGE. THE
BRUNT OF THAT SHORTAGE IS BORNE
BY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO HAVE
THE LEAST ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY
MENTAL HEALTH CARE. I WANT TO
SHARE ONE CLIENT STORY FROM NICO
STAFF MEMBER CHARLES YEE, WHO I
KNOW IS IN THE AUDIENCE AMONGST
OUR PARENTS GENERATION THAT
IMMIGRATED HERE TO THE UNITED
STATES, A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT
EVEN SURE WHERE TO START WITH
ACCESSING CARE. THERE'S ALSO A
GAP IN DESCRIBING WHAT THEY'RE
SUFFERING FROM BASED ON RESEARCH
FINDINGS AND MY PERSONAL
ACCOUNTS, ASKING MY MOM AND
FRIENDS MENTAL DISABILITY IS
OFTEN MANIFEST IN PHYSICAL PAINS
FOR THEIR GENERATION. CONDITIONS
LIKE DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY WILL
BE INSTEAD DESCRIBED AS STOMACH,
BACK, AND OR HEAD PAINS,
GENERALLY MORE PHYSICAL
AILMENTS. I DO HEAR THEM USE THE
TERM YEE YEE, WHICH SORT OF
REFERS TO LIKE AN OPPRESSION.
WHEN I DISCUSS MENTAL HEALTH
WITH MY MOM, JUST BEING ABLE TO
FIND BILINGUAL PROVIDERS THAT
PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH CARE, THAT
ACCEPT THEIR INSURANCE IS SEEN
AS A BARRIER FOR SOME OLDER
ASIAN FOLKS THAT MY MOM KNOWS.
THE REALITY IS, REGARDLESS OF
THE PIPELINE INVESTMENTS, THEY
WILL REMAIN A DEARTH OF
CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY
CONGRUENT MENTAL HEALTH
PROVIDERS. WE NEED CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELORS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT
WHEN A VIETNAMESE FORMER SOLDIER
SHARES ABOUT HIS CHRONIC
HEADACHE, HE'S ACTUALLY
REFERRING TO HIS DEPRESSION.
SINCE LEAVING HIS HOME COUNTRY.
OR WHEN A MY GRANDMA COMPLAINS
OF STOMACH PAINS. IT IS THE PAIN
MANIFESTED FROM THE TRAUMA WHILE
WATCHING HER FAMILY MEMBERS
KILLED IN THE GENOCIDE OF
CAMBODIA. THE SHORTAGE IN
LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS HAS INCREASED
INTEREST IN NON-LICENSED
PARAPROFESSIONALS, SUCH AS
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS
AND LAY COUNSELORS, AS THESE
PROFESSIONALS HAVE SHOWN, HAVE
BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE STIGMA
AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
UTILIZATION. INCREASED KNOWLEDGE
AROUND ACCESSING SERVICES,
STRENGTHENED CLIENT PROVIDER
RELATIONSHIPS, AND IMPROVED THE
CLIENT'S MENTAL HEALTH AND
SOCIAL FUNCTIONING. THESE LAY
COUNSELORS CAN HELP CONNECT THE
DOTS FOR MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES TO FINALLY COME INTO
CARE. THESE PARAPROFESSIONALS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE CULTURALLY
AND LINGUISTICALLY CONGRUENT
WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WHICH
OFTEN EXPERIENCE A SHORTAGE OF
REPRESENTATION IN THE LICENSED
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
THIS NEED FOR EXPANDING OUR
MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE BECAME
MOST APPARENT FOR ASIAN HEALTH
SERVICES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WHEN WE SAW
HOW SO MANY IN THE ASIAN
COMMUNITIES WERE TARGETED
BETWEEN 2019 AND 2022, ACCORDING
TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, THE NUMBER OF HATE
CRIMES AGAINST ASIANS INCREASED
BY THREEFOLD. AS A RESULT, WE
SAW A 2.5 FOLD INCREASE IN
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AMONG OUR
PATIENTS IN 2021. IN RESPONSE TO
THE MANY VICTIMS OF ANTI-ASIAN
VIOLENCE, ASIAN HEALTH SERVICES
LAUNCHED OUR COMMUNITY HEALING
UNIT TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH
AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO THOSE
IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE. TO DATE,
WE'VE SERVED OVER 300 SURVIVORS.
WE OBSERVED THAT INITIALLY,
THESE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE WILL
REFUSE ANY MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. BUT THROUGH OUR MODEL
OF BILINGUAL, BICULTURAL,
HOLISTIC WELLNESS AND
COUNSELING, THEY ARE MORE OPEN
TO TALKING TO A COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKER WHO THEY FEEL THEY CAN
RELATE TO AND IS BREAKING DOWN
STIGMA AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS
TO THEIR CARE. IN ONE INSTANCE,
AN ELDERLY COUPLE EXPERIENCED
BEING ROBBED FOUR TIMES IN A
SHORT PERIOD AND FELT VERY
TRAUMATIZED BY THEIR EXPERIENCE.
YET THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEEK
PROFESSIONAL HELP. THEIR
DAUGHTER SHARED THAT HER PARENTS
WENT INWARD AND DIDN'T WANT TO
TALK. DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THE EXPERIENCE, EVEN THOUGH IT
GREATLY IMPACTED THEM THROUGH
INTENTIONAL SUPPORT OF OUR LAY
COUNSELORS, THEIR SILENT
SUFFERING ENDED WHEN THEY
FINALLY STARTED SEEKING CLINICAL
THERAPISTS. THIS STORY
UNDERSCORES THE CRITICAL ROLE OF
LAY COUNSELORS IN RESPONDING TO
MENTAL HEALTH NEED AND IN
EFFECTIVELY LINKING INDIVIDUALS
TO EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
THUS, WE NEED A PAYMENT MODEL
THAT INVESTS AND SUSTAINS THIS
IMPORTANT SEGMENT OF THE
WORKFORCE. SO TO CONCLUDE, I
WANT TO LIFT UP TWO HIGH LEVEL
RECOMMENDATIONS. ONE IS REALLY
TO COLLECT ACCURATE
DISAGGREGATED DATA THAT REFLECTS
THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF AA
AND NPIS. DATA CAN BE POWER, BUT
LACK OF ACCURATE AND
DISAGGREGATED DATA CREATE
INVISIBLE INVISIBILITY FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES. SECOND IS TO EXPAND
THE MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE BY
INVESTING IN NON-LICENSED
PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BE CULTURALLY
CONGRUENT WITH UNDERSERVED
POPULATIONS. ÓRDENES. SO WITH
THAT, I'LL PAUSE TO SEE IF
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE
PASSING IT ON TO MY COLLEAGUE
PETER. TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY
QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO I'LL HAND IT
OVER TO PETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH
TO CHAIR NGUYEN, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
, TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME AND BEING HERE. MY NAME IS
PETER JI. MY PRONOUNS ARE HE AND
HIM, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
SERVICE PROGRAMS AT LITTLE TOKYO
SERVICE CENTER IN LOS ANGELES.
I'M ALSO A REGISTERED NURSE. LZC
IS HONORED TO BE HERE
REPRESENTING THE ASIAN AMERICAN,
NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC
ISLANDER HEALTH EQUITY
COALITION. THE DIVERSITY OF THE
Ã AND ÁP COMMUNITY IS VAST. WE
REFLECT OVER 50 DISTINCT RACIAL
SUBPOPULATIONS AND CULTURES WITH
OVER 100 LANGUAGES, VARIED
IMMIGRATION EXPERIENCES, REYES
NATURALIZATION RATES, ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY LEVELS, AND OTHER
SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS. MY
TESTIMONY TODAY IS JUST ONE
SNAPSHOT BASED ON WHAT LZC IS
OBSERVING ON THE GROUND. WE KNOW
THAT THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHER
STORIES AND TRENDS WITHIN THE
AANHPI COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE MY MANY, MY MANY
COLLEAGUES IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY
WHO ARE WORKING ON THESE ISSUES
IN THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
STATE. I WANT TO START OUT BY
SHARING THE WORDS OF A THEN
FIFTH GRADER, NICK SONG, FROM
THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY IN A
SCHOOL PROJECT UNDER FUTURE
GOALS AND AMBITIONS. HE WROTE, I
HAVE MANY IDEAS AND DREAMS OF
FUTURE CAREERS. I'M HOOKED ON
THE IDEA OF BEING AN
OCEANOGRAPHER EVER SINCE I WAS A
LITTLE BABY, I LOVED WATER AND
DECIDED TO BE INVOLVED WITH
WATER. MY FUTURE I PLANNED TO
BECOME A MARINE BIOLOGIST OR AN
ENVIRONMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHER. AS
A MARINE BIOLOGIST, I HOPE TO
STUDY AQUATIC ANIMALS IN THEIR
NATURAL HABITATS. AS AN
ENVIRONMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHER, I
HOPE TO BECOME AN INVENTOR TO
SAVE THE POLAR ICE CAPS. I THINK
I'LL BE SUITABLE FOR THESE JOBS
SINCE I'M A STRONG SWIMMER AND
I'M DETERMINED. I SNORKEL ALL
THE TIME AND I LOVE BEING AROUND
WILDLIFE IN NATURE. THESE ARE MY
DREAM CAREERS. THIS FIFTH GRADER
WENT ON TO EXCEL IN MIDDLE AND
HIGH SCHOOL. HE THRIVED IN HIS
ACADEMICS, WAS A STRONG STUDENT
ATHLETE, AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN HIS
CHURCH, PARTICIPATED IN
COUNTLESS COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES,
AND WAS KNOWN TO BE AN
INCREDIBLE SON, BROTHER, FRIEND,
AND STUDENT. HE WENT ON TO
ATTEND UC SANTA BARBARA WITH A
DETERMINED PASSION TO TURN THESE
FIFTH GRADE DREAMS INTO A
REALITY. HE NEVER LOST HIS
PASSION FOR THE OCEAN. WHAT MANY
DID NOT SEE IS THAT NICK WAS
STRUGGLING AFTER TAKING A
SEMESTER OFF BECAUSE OF HIS
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. NICK
DIED BY SUICIDE ON APRIL 27TH,
2021. LAST YEAR, OVER 600
PARTICIPANTS WENT THROUGH OUR
CHANGING TIDES ANCHOR PROGRAM, A
FREE SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING
WITH THE QPR INSTITUTE. THIS
PROGRAM WAS CREATED BECAUSE
SUICIDE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH AMONG AA AND NHPI YOUTH,
AGES 10 TO 19, AND THE SECOND
LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG
THOSE AGES 20 TO 34. YOUTH
SUICIDALITY IS AT AN ALL TIME
HIGH, BUT LESS THAN 1 IN 5 YOUTH
WHO HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
BEHAVIORS RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH
CARE IN THE COMMUNITY. FEWER
THAN HALF OF YOUTH WHO ATTEMPT
SUICIDE RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH
CARE WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER THEIR
HOSPITAL DISCHARGE, ACCORDING TO
RESEARCH FROM THE CALIFORNIA
HEALTHY KIDS SURVEY. ASIAN
AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND
PACIFIC ISLANDER YOUTH ALL
REPORTED HIGH RATES OF CHRONIC,
SAD OR HOPELESS FEELINGS IN THE
PAST 12 MONTHS. THIS DATA HAS
ONLY GOTTEN WORSE AFTER THE
PANDEMIC. THIS DEMONSTRATES THE
HIGH AND CONSISTENT LEVEL OF
MENTAL DISTRESS AMONG OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE. PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH
SYSTEMS ARE NOT RESOURCED TO
ADDRESS THIS INCREASE IN YOUTH
SUICIDE, AND WE SEE THESE
DISPARITIES FOR YOUTH OF COLOR
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. A 2023
ANALYSIS FOUND THAT AANHPI YOUTH
IN LA COUNTY'S MENTAL HEALTH
PROGRAMS ARE REPRESENTED AT
HIGHER RATES IN THE MOBILE
CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAMS
COMPARED TO OUTPATIENT MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES. THIS SUGGESTS
THAT Ã AND ÁP YOUTH MAY NOT
RECEIVE CARE UNTIL THEIR ACUITY
IS TOO HIGH. AMONG ALL RACIAL,
ETHNIC GROUPS, AA AND NHPI YOUTH
IN LA COUNTY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO
RECEIVE FOLLOW UP THERAPY
OVERALL, INCLUDING AFTER A
MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE. OUR
COALITION ASKS FOR BETTER
TRANSPARENCY AND INCLUSIVENESS
IN HOW GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
DEFINE PRIORITY POPULATIONS. LZC
HAS RECENTLY JOINED WITH ARI O.
APICHA PACKS, THE SOCAL PACIFIC
ISLANDER COMMUNITY RESPONSE
TEAM, THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC
MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES
COALITION, AND NEARLY 60 OTHER
GROUPS TO ADVOCATE ADVOCATE FOR
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH TO USE BETTER DATA
FOR DECISION MAKING. IN TWO
CONCRETE AREAS OF CONCERN ARE
CONVERSATIONS LAST SUMMER WITH
CDPH HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT
AA AND NHPI YOUTH WERE NOT
CONSIDERED A PRIORITY POPULATION
IN THEIR SUICIDE PREVENTION
PROGRAMS BECAUSE CDPH LOOKED AT
DATA ON DEATH BY SUICIDE FROM
THE CALIFORNIA COMPREHENSIVE
MASTER DEATH FILE, A DATA SET
THAT DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT
THE TRENDS WE SEE AS SERVICE
PROVIDERS. CDPH OFFICE OF HEALTH
EQUITY ALSO DOES NOT HAVE A
DESIGNATED STAFF SPECIALIST IN
THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION AND
PARTNERSHIP TEAM FOR THE A AND
NHPI COMMUNITY. SINCE WE'RE NOT
CONSIDERED A PRIORITY
POPULATION, EVEN THOUGH WE DO
FIT THE DEPARTMENT'S DEFINITION
OF A PRIORITY POPULATION. MY
COLLEAGUES AT THE AAG, THE
PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE AND SSG
HAVE BEEN SEEKING TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE MENTAL
HEALTH TRENDS FOR OUR YOUTH.
THEY RECENTLY CONDUCTED FOCUS
GROUPS ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND EVEN THOUGH THE
REPORT IS NOT YET PUBLISHED,
INITIAL FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THAT
OUR YOUTH FACES FACE ADDITIONAL
BARRIERS WHEN TALKING ABOUT
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING. THIS IS WHY WE
SHOULD BE BUILDING ON CDP'S
EFFORTS TO CENTER YOUTH VOICES
IN LOCAL AND STATE OUTREACH
CAMPAIGNS, AND WE'RE DEEPLY
CONCERNED BY THE CUTS OF THE
GOVERNOR'S MAYBER VISION THAT
CUTS THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE.
FURTHERMORE, THE PASSAGE OF
PROPOSITION ONE THAT REDIRECTS
$140 MILLION IN POPULATION LEVEL
PREVENTION FUNDING FROM LOCAL
COUNTIES TO THE STATE ARE DEEPLY
CONCERNING BECAUSE MANY OF THESE
LOCAL COUNTIES HAVE INVESTED
ADVISORY COMMITTEES MADE UP OF
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
ATTUNED TO THE NEEDS OF HARD TO
SERVE COMMUNITIES. STATE
ENTITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR
DESIGNING REGULATIONS FOR THESE
NEW COMPONENTS MUST HEAR AND
FOLLOW RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH
EXPERTS AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE. THIS CAN BE DONE
THROUGH THE APPOINTMENT OF AA
AND NHPI REPRESENTATIVES TO THE
RESPECTIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEES
AND THROUGH FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS
WITH THESE REPRESENTATIVES. THIS
INCLUDES THE DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH FOR POPULATION
PREVENTION, THE MSOS FOR
INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP FUND, THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE
SERVICES FOR EARLY INTERVENTION,
AND HCA WORKFORCE. FURTHERMORE,
THESE NEW PROPOSITION ONE
COMPONENTS MUST FACILITATE THE
FUNDING OF COMMUNITY DEFINED
EVIDENCE PRACTICES, NEW
REGULATIONS, BUT NOT MUST NOT
FORCE CHANGES TO CDPS IN WAYS
THAT MAKE THEM CULTURALLY
INAPPROPRIATE OR LESS DESIRABLE
FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT CERTAIN
MUNICIPALITIES, LIKE LA COUNTY'S
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HAVE
MODELED HOW TO WORK WELL IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH CBOS, AND WE
REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WILL
HAPPEN IF THE PROPOSED BUDGET
CUTS GO THROUGH WITH THE MAY
REVISE IS. FINALLY, OUR
COALITION IS COMMITTED TO
UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY DEFINED
CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY
RESPONSIVE STRATEGIES. WE ASK
FOR CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THE
INNOVATIVE CALIFORNIA REDUCING
DISPARITIES PROJECT, WHICH
FUNDED 35 CULTURAL RESPONSIVE
PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE. THESE
PROJECTS INCLUDE NON-WESTERN
APPROACHES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO TRADITIONAL HEALERS
AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORKERS,
AND MORE. HIGHLIGHTS FROM A 2022
EVALUATION FOUND THAT THE CRDP
INCREASED ACCESS TO MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES AND IMPROVE THE
MENTAL HEALTH AMONG PARTICIPANTS
IN UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. PREVENTION AND
EARLY INTERVENTION ARE ALSO COST
EFFECTIVE FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT
DURING THIS FOUR YEAR
IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD, ABOUT $5
WERE SAVED FOR CRDP PROJECTS.
ZINET ESTIMATED FINANCIAL
BENEFIT TO THE STATE EXCEEDED
450 MILLION. NEXT STORY DOESN'T
END IN 2021. INSTEAD, HIS LEGACY
IS ALIVE AND WELL. NICK INSPIRED
MANY OF HIS FRIENDS TO PURSUE
CAREERS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,
INCLUDING ONE WHO JUST GRADUATED
FROM USC WITH A MASTER'S IN
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY THIS
PAST SPRING, ADDING ONE MORE
BILINGUAL PROVIDER TO OUR
WORKFORCE. HIS PARENTS HAVE
BECOME FIERCE MENTAL HEALTH
ADVOCATES IN THE COMMUNITY,
BEING KEY ORGANIZERS FOR OUR
ANNUAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WALK
AND BEING A RESOURCE TO OTHER
PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE
DIED BY SUICIDE. NICK JOINED.
NICK'S MOM JOINED US AT OUR
MEETING WITH CDF LAST SUMMER
WHERE SHE HEARD THEIR REALITY
THAT IF ONE LOOKED PURELY AT
CERTAIN DATA SETS, THE Ã AND HP
COMMUNITY ARE NOT IMPACTED BY
SUICIDE. THAT IS NOT THE REALITY
THAT SHE AND HER FAMILY LIVE
WITH EACH DAY. NICK'S STORY IS A
POIGNANT REMINDER THAT MEANT THE
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR
COMMUNITY IS VERY REAL. THERE
ARE YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE NICK
EVERYWHERE, BRIGHT, TALENTED
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SILENTLY
STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH. GOVERNMENT PLAYS AN
IMPORTANT ROLE AT PROTECTING THE
PUBLIC FROM A CRISIS. WHAT WE
ASKED FOR TODAY IS THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES DON'T REMAIN
INVISIBLE. WE NEED ACCURATE AND
DISAGGREGATED DATA INCLUDE
POLICIES AND TARGETED RESOURCES
TO ADDRESS OUR MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS. LET'S NICK. LET'S LET
NICK'S LEGACY BE A CALL TO
ACTION FOR ALL OF US TO ENSURE
THAT EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE, GET THE SUPPORT
THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. I'M GOING TO TURN
IT TO MY COLLEAGUE, NATALIE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PETER,
BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO
NATALIE, I WANT TO GIVE THE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WHO JUST WALKED
IN AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES. START WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER TÍNH, PHIL TING,
SAN FRANCISCO, ALEX LEE, ALAMEDA
AND SANTA CLARA COUNTY. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR, FOR ALSO PROVIDING THE
SPACE AND OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS
AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS OUR
COMMUNITY WITH GREAT STIGMA. AND
I HOPE THAT WE CAN LOWER
BARRIERS AND RECOGNIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE
IN THIS REGARD. MY NAME IS EVAN
LOW, STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
GREAT. THANK YOU. NATALIE
TALOFA. MAHALO FOR MANUIA.
MAHALO MAHALO FOR MAILING OUT
FAFSA KAMLAGER LEÓN FOR ALFIYA
VANUA FOR PENNY HELLUOMORPHOIDES
AMY FOR PENNY. ALL MANUEL FOR
NAMO NARAYANA I MYSELF,
COMMITTEE FOR FONO FOR
TIMELINESS OF NO MATTER, NO
FEAR. THAT WAS JUST MY HONORARY
HONORARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO THE
HEAVENS, THE LAND MY PARENTS AND
FAMILY, THE GIANTS OF MY
COMMUNITY, CHAMPIONS IN THIS
HEARING AND THOSE WHO ARE TUNING
IN AND THIS COMMITTEE FOR
OPENING THIS HEARING ON AAPI
MENTAL HEALTH, BLESSED RISING
AND BLESSINGS TO YOUR HEALTH. MY
NAME IS NATALIE, ALSO ASIAN,
BORN AND RAISED IN AMERICAN
SAMOA. I SERVED IN THE US AIR
FORCE AND I CURRENTLY LIVE IN
HAYWARD IN ALAMEDA COUNTY. I AM
THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AND GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS AT RICHMOND AREA MULTI
SERVICES, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT
MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION THAT
IS COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR
AND PROVIDING COMMUNITY BASED,
CULTURALLY COMPETENT AND
CONSUMER GUIDED COMPREHENSIVE
SERVICES THAT AIM TO MEET THE
BEHAVIORAL, HEALTH, SOCIAL,
VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
OF THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF SAN
FRANCISCO AREA. WITH EXPERTISE
IN SERVING THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC
ISLANDER, AMERICAN AND RUSSIAN
SPEAKING POPULATIONS. RAMOS ALSO
SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO RECOGNIZE
MAY 10TH AS AAPI MENTAL HEALTH
DAY. IN 2010, REPRESENTATIVE
JUDY CHU INTRODUCED THE FIRST
CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION. IN
2021 TO RECOGNIZE THE SAME DAY
MY HARD WORK, THE WORK OF THE
HEART IS WE KHÓ I, ALONG WITH
THREE OTHER FEARS OF PACIFIC
ISLANDER LEADER WOMEN,
CO-FOUNDED AND I AM CURRENTLY
THE CO-CHAIR OF THE REGIONAL
PACIFIC ISLANDER TASK FORCE. WE
ARE HERE TO COMMEND YOUR HIGHEST
ATTENTION. I'LL BE LISTING OUT
SOME HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT
IMPACTS SPECIFICALLY OUR PACIFIC
ISLANDER COMMUNITY, AND I WILL
USE PACIFIC ISLANDER INSTEAD OF
NHPI, AS I FEEL THAT IS MORE
INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF US THAT COME
FROM THAT REGION. PACIFIC
ISLANDERS ARE ISLAND NATIONS AND
PEOPLE FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
WE ARE DIVERSE. WE COME FROM
MANY, MANY ISLANDS AND ATOLLS,
OCCUPYING ROUGHLY 300,000MI²,
ABOUT A THOUSAND LANGUAGES ARE
ACTIVELY SPOKEN BY PACIFIC
ISLANDERS. WE ARE GROUPED
ETHNICALLY AS MELANESIAN,
MICRONESIANS AND POLYNESIANS.
OUR CURRENT CONTEXT IS INFORMED
BY POLITICAL STATUS IN OUR
RELATIONS TO THIS RELATION TO
THE US AS A STATE. TERRITORIES
COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATIONS. AS
SOVEREIGN ISLAND NATIONS AND
OTHER NON US AFFILIATED NATIONS.
NEARLY 2 MILLION PACIFIC
ISLANDERS LIVE IN THE US, A 31%
INCREASE FROM 2010, WITH NEARLY
700,000 PEOPLE IDENTIFYING AS
PACIFIC ISLANDER ALONE, AND EVEN
MORE IDENTIFYING IN COMBINATION
WITH OTHER OTHER RACES. MORE
THAN 10 MILLION LIVE IN THE
PACIFIC. DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES
AND STORIES ARE TOLD IN DATA.
THERE IS A LEGACY OF HARM
IMPOSED UPON PACIFIC ISLANDERS.
THE LEGACY OF BEING UNSEEN,
UNHEARD, MISREPRESENTED,
EXCLUDED FROM RESEARCH THAT
BEING THAT REQUIRES LARGE SAMPLE
SIZE, SIMPLY BEING ERASED TO BE
PRESENT BUT NOT SEEN IS DEEP
TRAUMA. A LITTLE MORE IS KNOWN
ABOUT OTHER HEALTH STATUS OF
PACIFIC ISLANDERS, BUT EVEN LESS
IS KNOWN ABOUT OUR MENTAL
HEALTH, ESPECIALLY AMONG ADULTS.
A STUDY BY DOCTOR SUPICA AND HIS
TEAM SHOW THAT PACIFIC ISLANDER
ADULTS ARE AT A HIGH RISK OF
PROBLEMS, SUCH AS DEPRESSION,
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND
SUICIDE. THE SMALL POPULATION
PARADOX DEEPLY DOWNPLAYS THE
HEALTH NEEDS OF PACIFIC
ISLANDERS. DATA AGGREGATION HAS
TERRIBLE IMPLICATIONS FOR
PACIFIC ISLANDERS. IT HURTS AND
KEEPS PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITIES AT A SEVERE
DISADVANTAGE AND PERPETUALLY PUT
US AT HIGH RISK FOR HEALTH AND
MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND
ACROSS OTHER HEALTH AND SOCIAL
INDICATORS, OUR NEEDS ARE NOT
ADDRESSED SPECIFICALLY AND
ADEQUATELY BECAUSE WE DON'T
EXIST IN THE EYES OF
POLICYMAKERS, FUNDERS, HEALTH
PLANNERS, AND SO FORTH. WE ARE
LEFT OUT OF OPPORTUNITY,
OPPORTUNITIES TO ELEVATE OUR
COMMUNITIES, ELEVATE OUR
POSITIONS IN DIASPORA. DATA IS
PERSONAL, NOT JUST A NUMBER.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE LOST
MANY ELDERS. AND COMMUNITY
LEADERS. MANY ARE FAMILY
HISTORIANS, CULTURAL
CONSERVATORS, INNOVATORS. SOME
FAMILIES LOST 2 TO 3 GENERATIONS
DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. DATA
EQUITY, EVERY COMMUNITY LARGE OR
SMALL, HAS UNIQUE HEALTH
CHALLENGES THAT CAN ONLY BE
OVERCOME IF WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY
TO IDENTIFY, VÌ AND UNDERSTAND
CRITICAL MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS,
BUT ALSO THEIR ASSETS AND
STRENGTHS. AMIR AMIR POINTS ZERO
7% AND OF ASIAN COMBINED ASIAN
AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS ENTERED
PUBLIC TREATMENT SERVICES IN
2015, BUT THERE ARE NO STUDIES
TO EXAMINE THE NEED FOR SUD
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS
DURING THE PANDEMIC, PACIFIC
ISLANDERS EXPERIENCED A
DISPROPORTIONATE HIGHER BURDEN
OF COVID CASES AND DEATHS THAN
ANY OTHER RACIAL GROUPS,
INCLUDING BLACK AND HISPANIC
POPULATIONS. IN SEVERAL STATES
WITH AVAILABLE PACIFIC ISLANDER
DATA, COVID EXACERBATED LONG
STANDING ISSUES AND DISPARITIES
EXPERIENCED BY PACIFIC
ISLANDERS, AND THAT WAS WITH
EVEN WITHOUT THE PANDEMIC,
PACIFIC ISLANDERS WERE ALREADY
WAITING IN DEEP WATER, FENDING
OFF THREATS AND KEEP AFLOAT TO
SURVIVE. CULTURAL CONFLICT,
DISCORD AND DISCONNECT, OFTEN
BETWEEN CULTURAL VALUES AND
PERSPECTIVE ON HOW WE WANT TO
LIVE. OUR VALUE SYSTEMS. WE SEE
THIS PLAY DOWN IN POLITICS AND
POLICIES THAT DISADVANTAGE
COMMUNITIES, PRESERVING AND
PROTECTING OUR NATURAL AND
CULTURAL WEALTH, IDENTITY,
CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS IS
STRESSFUL. REACTING TO STRESS,
TO THREATS AFFECTING OUR
WELL-BEING, ABILITY TO MANAGE
WELLNESS, CONNECTION TO NATURE
AND ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE NECESSARILY ACCESS TO THEM,
OR THEY'RE BEING OVERDEVELOPED
OR DAMAGED OR GENTRIFIED. AND AN
ASSESSMENT IN SAN FRANCISCO
IDENTIFIED PACIFIC ISLANDER
YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, PARENTS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS IDENTIFY
VIOLENCE AS A MAJOR BARRIER TO
HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES SUCH
AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL
VIOLENCE, AND GUN VIOLENCE WERE
ALL IDENTIFIED AS ISSUES THAT
ARE EXPERIENCED BY YOUTH IN SAN
FRANCISCO, GUN VIOLENCE IS A
PRESSING ISSUE THAT IS GREATLY
IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY. THE
PREVALENCE OF VIOLENCE OF GUN
VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY HAS
ALSO LED TO VIOLENCE BEING
NORMALIZED. SUBSTANCE USE,
INCARCERATION, AND VIOLENCE
LEADING TO SINGLE PARENT AND
SPLIT HOUSEHOLDS ALSO IMPACTS
OUR MENTAL HEALTH. THE LOSS OF
PREVENTION FUNDING AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL, THE CHASM BETWEEN SPOKEN
COMMITMENTS AND INADEQUATE
FUNDING, CHANGING FUNDING
PRIORITIES CONDEMNS US AND
CONTRADICTS THE REALITY WE SEE.
CHANGING CHANGE REYES TO DHS
FROM MHC SHIFTS PRIORITY TO
DOWNSTREAM INSTEAD OF UPSTREAM
APPROACHES. TAKING FUNDS FROM
PREVENTION EARLY INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS HOUSING
TREATMENT SERVICES MAY LEAD TO
PROGRAM CLOSURE AND CONTRACT
TERMINATION. NOT THAT WE DON'T
VALUE HOUSING. WE BELIEVE IN
HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL NEED.
WORKING, COMMUNITY DEFINED
PRACTICES THAT REACH HARD TO
REACH AND APPROPRIATELY SERVE
UNSERVED COMMUNITIES ARE AT RISK
OF LOSING FUNDS AND HAVING
ANOTHER SET OF CRITERIA TO
FOLLOW, BURDENING PROVIDERS
MEDICAL MODEL. COUNTER SPY
CULTURAL PACIFIC ISLANDER
CULTURAL VALUES. WE VALUE
CONNECTION TO AND WITH OTHERS.
OUR VÀ WITH NATURE. WE CANNOT
LOSE PEOPLE TO PREVENTABLE
HEALTH RISKS. SOME PRACTICES,
SOME BEST PRACTICES FOR
ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
AMONG OUR PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY, THERE IS A SAMOAN
SAYING THAT SAYS IF A PHÐ ALLAH,
ALLAH, ALLAH, ALLAH MAY THE
SPINE OF A CROWN OF THORNS
STARFISH. WHEN YOU GET STUNG BY
IT, YOU TURN IT OVER AND PUT IT
EXACTLY WHERE YOU WERE STUNG AND
YOU WILL BE OKAY. THAT MEANS THE
SOLUTIONS TO SOLVE THE ISSUES OF
OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST
PACIFIC ISLANDERS, BUT OUR ASIAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ARE WITHIN
THE SAME COMMUNITIES. RAMOS AS
TO PREVENTION AND EARLY
INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, ONE IN
SAN FRANCISCO AND ONE IN ALAMEDA
COUNTY THAT MANY OF THE CUSTOMS,
TRADITIONS, VALUES, AND VERITIES
ARE WOVEN INTO THE DESIGNS OF
THESE PROGRAMS AND THE
ACTIVITIES WE WANT TO EMPOWER
OTHERS WHO ARE READY TO SERVE.
WE WANT TO HAVE MULTIPLE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS
WHERE WE HAVE HEALTH NAVIGATORS,
PEERS, THERAPISTS, WHERE EASTERN
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WORK FOR
MANY. BUT IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE
WHO VIEW HEALTH AS WHOLESOME.
WHERE THE SPIRIT, BODY, MIND,
FAMILY, ENVIRONMENT, VÀ Tê
NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALL
PART OF THE COSMOS OF HEALTH.
L®NG WHICH IS A HEALTH
DETERMINANT, MEANING COMMUNITIES
WHERE THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR
CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS AND VALUES
ARE PART OF THEIR HEALTH.
UNIFYING OUR VOICE, BANDING
TOGETHER TO DEMAND CHANGE.
CULTURAL SOLUTIONS TO CULTURE TO
COUNTER CULTURAL TRAUMA. SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN STATED BY TWO AND
PETER I WANT TO MENTION JUST A
FEW. WE CANNOT MOVE SINGULARLY,
BUT COLLECTIVELY I LIKE WHAT
DOCTOR KULA ADVISED PACIFIC
ISLANDERS AND ASIAN AMERICAN OF
COLLECTIVE CULTURES. OUR
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS ARE
VALUED AND MATTER A LOT, AND WE
NEED TO REVISIT THOSE VALUES
BECAUSE THOSE ARE PROTECTIVE
FACTORS AS COUNTRIES THAT AN
EXAMPLE I WANT TO BRING HERE,
COUNTRIES THAT WERE BEST
EQUIPPED TO MITIGATE AND CONTROL
THE SPREAD OF COVID WERE
TRADITIONALLY COLLECTIVE
CULTURES VERSUS INDIVIDUALISTIC
CULTURES BECAUSE THEY EASILY
COMPLY. ALSO, COUNTY, COUNTRY
WITH SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS WERE
ALSO LED BY WOMEN. YES TO WOMEN.
I ALSO ONE LAST THING. I LIKE TO
HOLD THE RESOURCE ALLOCATOR AND
HOLDER RESOURCE ALLOCATOR AND
HOLDER ACCOUNTABLE TO IMPLEMENT
AND ENFORCE OMB 15. THE FEDERAL
MANDATE TO DISAGGREGATE PACIFIC
ISLANDER AND ASIAN AMERICAN DATA
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES. STORIES OF
PEOPLE CAN HELP DESIGN PROGRAMS
THAT APPEAL TO THE HEART AND
SOUL OF PEOPLE. CAREFUL POLICY,
DECISION MAKING AND THEIR FUTURE
IMPLICATIONS MUST ALSO BE
CONSIDERED. REVERSING MENTAL
HEALTH DISPARITIES IS OUR CALL
TO ACTION. THE NOTION THAT WE
CONTINUE TO TALK AND TALK TO OUR
REPRESENTATIVES. BUT POLITICS
CAN BLOCK PROGRESS, AND THAT IS
NOT DEMOCRATIC POLICY. PATSY
VOEPEL, VALLEY MALU VALLEY, 50
LIMÓN OBERNOLTE. I'LL DEFER IT
BACK TO THANK YOU, NATALIE.
THANK YOU, I WANT TO I WANT TO
GIVE THE FLOOR TO MY MEMBERS
HERE IN JUST A SECOND. BUT I
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, I LOVE
THAT YOU SPOKE IN SAMOAN, AND I
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M
EDUCATED, REMINDED MY TEAM IS
ABOUT THE PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY. BECAUSE RIGHT NEXT TO
YOU IS THAI. RIGHT THERE SITTING
RIGHT THERE. AND HE'S ON MY TEAM
AND HE IS FROM SAMOA. AND HE
EDUCATES US AND HE ENSURES THAT
WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE
PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY,
BECAUSE AS AAPI COMMUNITIES, WE
ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT. WE ARE WE'RE
OFTEN THE MODEL MINORITY THAT
PEOPLE THINK TO THIS DAY THAT
WE'RE DOING FINE. WE DON'T NEED
THE HELP. WE DON'T NEED THE
ASSISTANCE, WE DON'T NEED THE
RESOURCES. BUT THE PACIFIC
ISLANDER COMMUNITY IS EVEN MORE
SO. THAT RIGHT? WE'RE SO
FORGOTTEN. BUT I'M REMINDED
EVERY DAY THROUGH THAI HERE IN
MY OFFICE THAT DO NOT FORGET
ABOUT MY COMMUNITY HERE. AND SO
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE IS
SOMEBODY WHO IS FROM SAMOA AND
IS SAMOAN THAT WORKS FOR THE
LEGISLATOR TODAY, RIGHT? AND
HE'S RIGHT HERE. I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL SAID,
AND I KNOW WE WERE GOING TO TAKE
IT TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT
BEFORE I WAS EVEN HERE, THERE
WERE MEMBERS BEFORE ME WHO
ADVOCATED FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WHO
FOUGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY,
DISAGGREGATED DATA. THOSE WERE
ISSUES THAT THEY KNEW THEN AND
WERE FIGHTING FOR HERE IN THIS
HOUSE. AND THEY'RE HERE TODAY.
THAT IS ASSEMBLY MEMBER TING LI
AND LO, AND THAT I'M GLAD THAT
THEY'RE HERE TO HEAR THIS, BUT I
WANT TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY
ALSO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER TING PRIOR IN HIS
PREVIOUS LIFE, HE ALSO RAN A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, AND THAT
WAS AN ISSUE BACK THEN TOO. AND
THAT WAS JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
RIGHT? ASSEMBLY MEMBER TING BUT,
YOU KNOW, TO THIS DAY, WE'RE
STILL FIGHTING THAT SAME ISSUE,
AND MAYBE THEY CAN SPEAK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE UPDATES AND
, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING
NOW, BECAUSE AGAIN, I WANT TO
SAY THAT THEY'VE MADE IT EASIER
FOR ME. THEY SET THIS, GOT IT
STARTED, CONTINUE TO FIGHT IT,
AND THEY'VE HELPED ME AS TO HOW
DO WE ELEVATE OUR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, I WANT TO HAND IT ON OVER TO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER TING LI AND LO
TO GIVE A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER NGUYEN, LESS
ABOUT A FEW WORDS, I THINK. I
THINK SO MANY OF US HAVE BEEN
PART OF THIS DISCUSSION AND THIS
STRUGGLE FOR QUITE A WHILE. I
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FOR FROM THE
PANELISTS JUST THEIR PERSPECTIVE
AS TO WHY WE HAVEN'T SEEN MORE
PROGRESS IN DISAGGREGATED DATA,
OR IN LANGUAGE ACCESS AND
LANGUAGE ACCESS IN PARTICULAR,
IS A VERY FRUSTRATING, ISSUE FOR
OUR CAUCUS. IT'S BEEN SOMETHING
THAT'S BEEN A MAJOR PRIORITY.
DILLONLIAM LITERARY PAST, YEARS
AGO, DECADES AGO. AND STILL WE
HAVEN'T SEEN, MUCH PROGRESS. AND
SO I WOULD BE CURIOUS FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVES TO SEEMINGLY BE
FAIRLY NON-CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES,
BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE STATE
HAS HAD, YOU KNOW, TROUBLE
IMPLEMENTING BOTH OF THESE
IDEAS. SO JUST I WOULD KIND OF
LESS OF A COMMENT BECAUSE I
THINK THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK ON
THIS ISSUE, BUT TO ME, THERE'S,
WE SEEM TO HAVE KIND OF HIT UP
AGAINST THE WALL. SO I'M CURIOUS
FROM THE PANELISTS WHAT WHAT
THEY ARE SEEING AS THEY ARE
TALKING TO BOTH THE DEPARTMENTS
AND THE AGENCIES, WHAT THE
STRUGGLE IS. SO I CAN START WITH
RESPECT TO DATA. THAT WAS ONE OF
OUR BIG RECOMMENDATIONS. WE'RE
ASKING. THERE IS ALREADY LAWS
THAT ARE IN PLACE AB 1726 HAS
BEEN PASSED FOR YEARS AND IT WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN
2022. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH. WE SHOULD ALREADY HAVE
DISAGGREGATED DATA, AND WE'RE
SITTING AND GOING INTO THE
DETAILS OF IT. AND WHAT WE'RE
FINDING IS WHILE THINGS ARE
TURNED ON, NO ONE'S WORKING
THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT DATA
TRULY FLOWS THROUGH THAT. EVEN
WHEN THE STATE IS SAYING, HEY,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE DISAGGREGATED
DATA, IT'S NOT BEING CARRIED
THROUGH FOR THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS, FOR OTHERS WHO ARE
POPULATING THAT DATA. AND I
THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WORKING
THROUGH. WE WANT THE STATE TO
TAKE OWNERSHIP, THAT WHEN THERE
IS A DISAGGREGATED DATA BILL
THAT YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH FROM
A TO Z, NOT A TO C OR NOT C
THROUGH D, WE REALLY WANT THEM
TO FLOW FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
OF WHERE DATA IS COLLECTED TO
HOW IT ENDS UP, BECAUSE THIS IS
ABOUT RAISING A VERY HEARTFELT,
A VERY PASSIONATE ISSUE FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE WE FEEL
VERY INVISIBLE AND SILENCED. I
THINK SIMILARLY WITH LANGUAGE
ACCESS, THERE'S ALREADY LAWS IN
PLACE. AND YET WHEN THINGS ARE
NOT FOLLOW, NO ONE IS GOING AND
SAYING, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON
HERE? SO WE KNOW THAT THESE
ISSUES HAVEN'T BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO YOUR
OPINION AS TO WHY WE KNOW THE
WHAT. I THINK THE WHAT'S VERY
CLEAR, I REALLY FEEL LIKE A LOT
OF IT IS THERE'S NOT THE SENSE
OF URGENCY WHILE WE'RE HEARING
ABOUT SUICIDES AND DEATHS AND SO
MUCH DISPARITY. THERE IS NOT
THAT SENSE OF URGENCY THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES ARE SUFFERING. AND
THAT'S WHY WE CAME AND ASKED FOR
THIS HEARING. WE REALLY NEED ALL
OF YOU TO HELP CHAMPION AND
CARRY THAT VOICE THROUGH. I
DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
OTHER THINGS TO ADD. I THINK
IT'S URGENCY AND A MATTER OF
PRIORITY. WHAT IS THE PRIORITY
FOR, THE STATE, BECAUSE I THINK
WE'VE ASKED AND ASKED AND THOSE
MANY BEFORE US HAVE ALSO MADE
THE SAME ASK, AND IF IT MIGHT BE
AN INTERESTING HEARING TO LEARN,
LIKE WHO HAS THE POWER TO,
REALLY, YOU KNOW, PULL THE
LEVER, BUT JUST GOING FOLLOWING
UP. OKAY. SO EVERYBODY IN AND
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS IN
BUDGET COMMITTEE, EVERYBODY SAYS
LIVES ARE AT STAKE. THAT'S A
VERY COMMON REFRAIN. RIGHT. AND
SO THIS IS YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK
TO THE FOSTER KID COALITION THAT
THEY SAY LIVES ARE AT STAKE, YOU
TALK TO PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT
UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS TRYING TO GET
HEALTH CARE. LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
RIGHT. JUST THAT'S A VERY COMMON
REFRAIN. DO YOU HAVE ANY
ANECDOTAL DATA OR DATA OF YOUR
OWN TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
STATEMENT? I GUESS, TO, TO BE
ABLE TO BACK THAT STATEMENT UP.
YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LAST
SUMMER WITH THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
ISSUES AROUND YOUTH SUICIDE AND
THE DATA SETS THAT THEY WERE
USING. WERE THE CALIFORNIA
MASTER DEATH DATA SET. AND THEN
FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, YOU
KNOW, THAT DIDN'T SHOW THAT API,
THE AANHPI COMMUNITY WAS
IMPACTED BY YOUTH SUICIDE. WE
PROVIDED COUNTER DATA FOR THAT,
TO, GIVE A MORE NUANCED
PERSPECTIVE THAT WAS BOTH DATA
DRIVEN AND ALSO REFLECTIVE OF
THE FIELD, BUT THERE'S BEEN A
LACK OF DESIRE TO KIND OF LOOK
AT OUR THE DATA THAT WE HAVE
PROVIDED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE COUNTERED, YOU KNOW, WITH
AGENCIES WITH SPECIFIC STUDIES
AND ALSO QUANTITATIVE REPORTS TO
DOCUMENT THINGS, BUT THERE'S
BEEN NO ACKNOWLEDGED FROM THE
AGENCIES OF, OF WHAT WE BRING
FORWARD. CAN YOU GIVE THE
COMMITTEE A SENSE OF WHAT THIS
DATA LIKE? WHAT WHAT WHAT IS
THIS DATA? WHERE'D YOU GET IT
FROM? AND THEN WHAT DID IT
DEMONSTRATE? THERE'S I THINK SO.
THERE'S BEEN A WIDE CROSS,
SECTION OF DATA. BUT, YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE MOST
RECENTLY HAVE SHOWN THEM WAS
COMING OUT OF THE UCLA
ASIAN-AMERICAN STUDY CENTER,
THAT LOOKED AT SOME OF THE
THINGS SPECIFICALLY FOR LA
COUNTY, SO THAT IS STUFF THAT WE
LIKE CONCRETELY DID PROVIDE TO
THEM AT THAT MOMENT. WHAT DID
THE DATA SAY? THE DATA SET THAT
SHOWS THAT LA COUNTY IS ABOUT
25% OF THE STATE. SO IT WOULD BE
FAIRLY REPRESENTATIVE OF URBAN
CALIFORNIA, LET'S SAY. RIGHT.
YEAH. THE DATA SHOWS THAT, THAT
YOUTH SUICIDE IS A HUGE ISSUE
WITHIN THE AANHPI COMMUNITY. IT
SHOWED THAT WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT ARE AANHPI ACCESS THE
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO
ACCESS IT THROUGH, LIKE THE
MOBILE CRISIS PROGRAM VERSUS THE
OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH
PROGRAMS, WHICH KIND OF SHOWS
THAT MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ONLY
ACCESSING SERVICES WHEN THEIR
ACUITY IS HIGH. AND SO WE
BROUGHT THINGS LIKE THAT AND
OTHER KINDS OF, REAL LIKE, YOU
KNOW, REPUTABLE, LIKE ALL THINGS
ARE REPUTABLE, BUT WE BROUGHT
CONCRETE DATA SETS TO THEM
AROUND PAINTING THE NARRATIVE
THAT WE DO SEE IN THE FIELD.
THAT'S GREAT. IF YOU COULD SHARE
THAT THAT REPORT WITH US, THAT'D
BE VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY
SINCE WE AS A LEGISLATOR, LIKE
THE API LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS, HAS
ALSO BEEN BIG SUPPORTERS OF THE
UCLA ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
CENTER TO ASSIST WITH THAT AS
WELL. SORRY, WE HAVE
CONSTRUCTION ON. SO THIS THIS
HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN.
UNFORTUNATELY AND ASSEMBLY
MEMBER TING THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR ASKING. I FEEL LIKE WE PUT
TOGETHER A REPORT THAT INCLUDES
A LOT OF THE DATA AND SUCH, BUT
A LOT OF TIMES, EVEN WHEN WE
SHOW THE DATA, IT'S NOT
SUFFICIENT. I THINK THIS IS
ABOUT PRIORITIZING HOUSING AND
HUMANIZING OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE
FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE
DEPRIORITIZED, AND THAT IS THE
MESSAGE THAT WE KEEP HEARING.
IT'S NOT FOR THE LACK OF
ADVOCACY AND HEART THAT'S
BROUGHT TO THE TO THE STATE
CAPITAL AND SUCH. EVEN THE
REGIONAL PACIFIC ISLANDER, WE
TOOK ON THE TASK OF, CREATING
THREE REPORTS ON THE DEMOGRAPHIC
REPORT ON PACIFIC ISLANDERS AREA
, AND THAT'S AVAILABLE. WE CAN
SHARE THAT. AND WE ALSO ASKED
FOR DATA ON MATERNAL AND CHILD
HEALTH, BECAUSE IF ANYTHING,
THAT WILL POP OFF IN THE DATA ON
MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH, PRENATAL
CARE FOR PACIFIC ISLANDERS, AND
THAT NUMBER WILL GO OFF THE
ROOF. SO WE WERE ABLE TO, GET
SOME DATA FROM THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO
CREATE THAT REPORT. WE ALSO DID
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT ON MENTAL
HEALTH DURING COVID AND THE
SAMOAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CENTER ALSO DID A NEEDS
ASSESSMENT FOR OUR YOUTH AND
THEIR FAMILIES IN SAN FRANCISCO
IN 2022. I ALSO, I KNOW THAT THE
EAST BAY, THE CASEY KOREAN
COMMUNITY OF THE EAST BAY, THEY
ALSO TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO
CONDUCT THEIR OWN NEEDS
ASSESSMENT, BECAUSE THE DATA
THAT WAS AVAILABLE DID NOT
REFLECT THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY
ARE, AND ALSO THAT THEY WERE
SERVING. ASSEMBLYMEMBER LEE, NO
QUESTIONS. ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWE,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIRWOMAN
NGUYEN, AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE PANELISTS AND
ALSO THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING
HERE TODAY IN THE STATE CAPITOL,
THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. I'M MAKING
SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC ENTITIES
REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES. BUT I HEARD A
NUMBER OF, OBSERVATIONS ABOUT
THE LACK OF URGENCY AND A
DISCONNECT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
, OR RATHER, THE PASSAGE OF
POLICIES, BUT LACK OF
IMPLEMENTATION DUE TO LACK OF
URGENCY. MY OBSERVATION HAS BEEN
ALSO SUCH THAT, THOSE, THOSE IN
THE COMMUNITY, THE MECHANISM TO
HOLD PUBLIC OFFICIALS
ACCOUNTABLE TO DEMAND GREATER
ACCOUNTABILITY, MY OBSERVATION
IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF
ENGAGEMENT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE,
SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES OF
OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE SUCH THAT
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
WOULD HOST TOWN HALL FORUMS,
CANDIDATE FORMS OF PUBLIC
OFFICIALS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
FROM THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL, THOSE
IN POSITIONS TO EFFECTUATE
CHANGE, AND ASKING AND DEMANDING
FOR, THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND
UNDERSTANDING OF THESE DIFFERENT
ISSUES. ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES,
PERHAPS I'M JUST NOT AWARE, BUT
ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO WHICH
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR
THOSE THAT YOU'RE ALSO PART OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO HOST COALITION
TOWN HALL FORUMS OR A DAY AT THE
CAPITOL OR A FLOODING? THE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR
CHAMBERS WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS? OR DO
THOSE EXIST ALREADY? I KNOW THEY
DO EXIST, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY
STEP IT UP. I KNOW THAT RECENTLY
WITH THE PASSING OF PROP ONE,
THE KOREAN COMMUNITY CENTER OF
THE EAST BAY, WHO ALSO RIGHT
HERE, THEY ACTUALLY WENT TO OUR
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN ALAMEDA
AND BROUGHT A LOT OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO SEE THE HARM THAT
WOULD BE CAUSED BY HAVING THE
PREVENTION FUNDS MOVE FROM THE
COUNTY BACK TO THE STATE, WHERE
THEY MAY NOT KNOW OUR
COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS THE
COUNTIES. BUT I THINK THAT'S A
GREAT IDEA, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LOWE, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE
LOUDER THAN EVER BECAUSE WE HAVE
CONSTANTLY NOT FELT HEARD AND
OUR ISSUES ARE NOT ADDRESSED. SO
THAT IS A GOOD REMINDER. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER
LOWE. AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT ASSEMBLY MEMBER MIKE FONG
IS HERE AND GIVE HIM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF
AS WELL TO, I THINK. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, CHAIR NGUYEN, AND THANK
YOU FOR CONVENING ALL OF US HERE
FOR THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
MENTAL HEALTH ACCESSIBILITY WITH
NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING
COMMUNITIES. I THINK THE
PANELISTS HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND
LEADERSHIP. AND AS A SIMILAR,
EVAN LOWE, MENTAL AND THE
ADVOCACY HERE. AND IT'S GREAT TO
SEE SO MANY FOLKS HERE TO
ADVOCATE. I KNOW THIS ISSUE IS
VERY CRITICAL FOR US AT THIS
TIME, AND TO REALLY ADVOCATE
WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL. I KNOW
THAT THE EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY
WITH THE LOCAL NONPROFITS IN THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, REACHED OUT
TO ME A FEW MONTHS BACK AND SO
GRATEFUL TO CHAIR NGUYEN FOR
CONVENING THIS SELECT COMMITTEE.
WE KNOW THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE
DONE AROUND DATA DISAGGREGATION,
OPEN DATA EQUITY, AND MAKING
SURE THAT WE'RE SERVING OUR
ASIAN-AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN
PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUR FAIR,
OUR RESOURCES, AND AT THE SAME
TIME, TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE
MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE AND TO
SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS SPACE
WITH YOU. AND PLEASE KEEP US
POSTED ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO
PARTNER GOING FORWARD AS WELL.
THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER MIKE
FONG, APOLOGIZE FOR THE NOISE.
AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER TING
MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN DEALING
WITH THIS EVEN DURING LARA
SESSIONS, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO SPEAK LOUDER, YOU KNOW, I
HEARD SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND I WILL SAY
I'M BIASED, BUT I LOVED WHEN YOU
MENTIONED ROI BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE I CAME FROM. BUT I THINK,
IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS I LIVED IT
DOING THE WORK ON THE FLOOR WITH
ALL OF YOU NOT TOO LONG AGO. SO.
AND THAT I UNDERSTAND THE WORK
BECAUSE IT IS TRUE THAT MANY OF
THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED
ABOUT, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKER PROGRAMS, I THOUGHT THOSE
WERE THE BEST THING EVER,
BECAUSE AS, I WORKED WITH MANY
REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, THEY
DON'T TRUST THE GOVERNMENT AND
THEY WAIT TILL THE VERY LAST
MINUTE BEFORE THEY GO SEE THE
DOCTOR. AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT A SPECIALIST, I MEAN,
THAT'S EVEN FAR LESS THAN FEW.
AND THAT IN SOME WAYS SCARES
THEM, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO GO SEE A SPECIALIST. SO
WE AVOID THAT AT ALL COSTS. AND
THEN WHEN IT TALKS, WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, IT STILL
CONTINUES TO BE A TABOO IN OUR
COMMUNITY THAT THAT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO SAY
THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH AS AN
INDIVIDUAL OR EVEN THAT A FAMILY
MEMBERS STRUGGLE WITH. AND SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
WORK THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE IT
DOES TRULY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE,
A COLLECTIVE WHOLE, TO BE ABLE
TO SAY, IT'S OKAY THAT YOU ARE
SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELING, IT'S OKAY THAT
YOU'RE COMING TO US AND TALKING
ABOUT IT, AND IT'S OKAY THAT WE
CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR IT
BECAUSE OTHER COMMUNITIES DO.
AND IT'S WHERE THEY'RE GETTING
THE MOST ATTENTION. RIGHT. AND
OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T DO THAT,
WHICH CONTINUES TO BE THE REASON
WHY WE NOT ONLY GET IGNORED, BUT
WE ALSO GET LEFT BEHIND, SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, AS YOU
HEARD FROM THE MEMBERS HERE,
WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN
VERY INFORMATIVE. THIS HAS BEEN
GREAT. I MADE SURE EVERY SINGLE
MEMBER HAS A PACKET. THE ONES
THAT ARE NOT HERE. WE'LL MAKE
SURE WE SEND IT TO THEIR OFFICE
AS WELL, TOO, BUT WE WANT TO
CONTINUE TO KEEP FIGHTING. THIS.
THIS IS. YOU'VE GOT SOME AMAZING
MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE THAT
UNDERSTANDS THE WORK THAT HAVE
DONE THE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY
BEFORE. AND SO YOUR VOICE IS
HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, I'M GOING
TO GIVE IT TO DOCTOR TIÂU TO BE
ABLE TO DO SOME FINAL WORDS.
YEAH, I THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND
AS YOU HEARD THE VERY MOVING
TESTIMONY FROM MY COLLEAGUES
THAT WE REALLY TRY TO BRING THE
COMMUNITY TO THIS ROOM, I JUST
WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO
SUMMARIZE THE RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS COMMITTEE,
BUT KNOW THAT IT IS IN OUR
PACKET. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A
LOT OF INFORMATION. SO THERE ARE
FOUR SETS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE FIRST DATA DATA DATA WE
REALLY NEED TO COLLECT ACCURATE
DISAGGREGATED DATA THAT REFLECTS
THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE
AAPI POPULATION. AND
SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS COMMITTEE,
WE ASK THAT THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
IMPLEMENT DISAGGREGATED RACE
ETHNICITY DATA COLLECTION,
COMPLYING WITH AB 1726, WHICH
SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN
PLACE, AND ALSO THE RECENTLY
REVISED OMB, SPD 15 FOR MENTAL
HEALTH RELATED OUTCOMES AND
REPORTS OUT THESE TRENDS FOR
DISAGGREGATED DATA. SO DON'T
JUST COLLECT IT BUT ALSO REPORT
IT OUT. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE THIS
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER REQUIRING
THAT MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
AND SCREENING TOOLS USED IN
HEALTH CARE SETTINGS ARE
TRANSLATED AND FIELD TESTED.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE NOT,
THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE RIGHT
OUTCOMES. ALSO AN IDEA WOULD BE
TO COMMISSION A REPORT ON THE
MENTAL HEALTH STATUS OF AAPI
POPULATIONS IN CALIFORNIA WITH
AN APPOINTED EXPERT PANEL THAT
INCLUDES REPRESENTATION FROM
CONTENT EXPERTS AS WELL AS AAPI
COMMUNITY EXPERTS. THE SECOND
SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO
REALLY INVEST IN CULTURALLY AND
LINGUISTICALLY CONGRUENT MENTAL
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS,
INCLUDING NON-LICENSED
PARAPROFESSIONALS. WE'D LIKE TO
ASK YOU TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION
THAT BUILDS A PIPELINE FOR
BILINGUAL AND BICULTURAL
LICENSED THERAPISTS, AND
INCENTIVIZE THEM TO TRAIN WITHIN
WORKING AT CBOS SERVING LIMITED
ENGLISH COMMUNITIES ALSO
REQUIRED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND
INFORMATION HCAI DESIGNATE AT
LEAST 25% OF THE FUNDS THAT ARE
REALLOCATED FROM PROP ONE GOING
TO THE STATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, WITH A
FOCUS ON BILINGUAL MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS. IN ADDITION TO
HELP US PROTECT THE WORKFORCE,
INITIATIVES UNDER HCAI THAT ARE
AT RISK OF BEING CUT IN THE
GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISE. AND THAT
INCLUDES COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.
REALLY Kò ALSO CONSIDER
DEVELOPING LEGISLATION TO
ESTABLISH NON-LICENSED
PARAPROFESSIONALS TO BECOME
BILLABLE PROVIDERS SO THAT
THEY'RE SUSTAINABLE.
ADDITIONALLY, PROVIDE TECHNICAL
SUPPORT TO SMALLER COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS SERVING THE
MOST UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS TO
BECOME QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS SO
THAT THEY CAN BILL FOR THE
SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE. THE
THIRD SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS IS
REALLY TO INVEST IN PREVENTION
AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES
THAT ARE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE
NEEDS OF THE AAPI COMMUNITIES.
WITH THE PASSAGE OF PROP ONE,
PREVENTION, FUNDING WILL NOW
SHIFT FROM THE COUNTIES, THE
LOCAL COUNTIES TO THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. THE
PROCESS FOR MAKING FUNDING
REALLOCATION DECISIONS MUST
INCORPORATE THE MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS OF AAPIS. SOME EXAMPLES
WILL BE HOLDING, LISTENING
SESSIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
ESTABLISHING AN ADVISORY AND
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT
INCLUDES AAPI COMMUNITY
REPRESENTED LIVES. ADDITIONALLY,
WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THE
SAME FEEDBACK AND ENGAGEMENT
MODELS FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES OVERSIGHT AND
ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION
REGARDING THE INNOVATIONS,
FUNDING. SO THEY OVERSEE THE
INNOVATIONS FUNDING. AND THE
LAST SET IS TO REALLY UTILIZE
COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY DEFINED
CULTURAL AND LINGUISTICALLY
RESPONSIVE STRATEGIES THAT TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT CULTURAL VALUES,
STIGMA, LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND
OTHER SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO
MENTAL HEALTH. SO THIS IS REALLY
ENSURING THAT THERE IS CONTINUED
FUNDING FOR THE CALIFORNIA
REDUCING DISPARITIES PROJECT,
WHICH IS AIMED AT REDUCING
MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES FOR
FIVE KEY POPULATIONS, INCLUDING
APIS. THIS IS A ONE TIME WHERE
WE'RE REALLY INCLUDED IN THIS,
ALSO FUND AND PROMOTE THE USE OF
COMMUNITY BASED, COMMUNITY
DEFINED, EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES AND EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES IN ANY REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS OR GRANT ADMINISTERED
BY THE STATE. AND LASTLY, ENSURE
THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
CARE SERVICES ELEVATES AND
DISSEMINATES STATEWIDE FINDINGS
ON AAPI POPULATIONS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY BEING SERVED AND
INTEGRATING THOSE LEARNINGS INTO
PRACTICE. SO THOSE ARE OUR
SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
THIS COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, DOCTOR QUACH. AND THEN
BEFORE WE MOVE TO PUBLIC
COMMENTS, I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND GIVE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SORIA AN OPPORTUNITY TO
INTRODUCE HERSELF AS WELL. THANK
YOU, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE,
ESMERALDA SORIA, REPRESENTING,
THE CENTRAL VALLEY, AND SO JUST
PROUD TO BE PART OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE AS SOMEONE THAT IS AN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER AND
SOMEONE THAT COMES FROM AN
IMMIGRANT FAMILY, DEEPLY
UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES, THAT
MANY OF OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES,
THE AAPI COMMUNITY, THE LATINO
COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW,
STRUGGLE WITH LANGUAGE BARRIERS
AND, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE
ISSUES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE
BROUGHT UP AS, AS THE PANELISTS
SPOKE TODAY. AND SO JUST
GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SERVE HERE TODAY, ON THIS
SELECT COMMITTEE AND LOOK
FORWARD TO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW,
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU
GUYS PROPOSE, BECAUSE I THINK
THEY'RE KIND OF IN ALIGNMENT,
TOO, WITH SIMILAR THE NEEDS THAT
LATINO, THE LATINO COMMUNITY HAS
ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF
THE OTHER OUR OTHER IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA. AND
JUST FOR REFERENCE, WE DECIDED
TO SPLIT INTO TWO HEARINGS. ONE,
BECAUSE A NHPI COMMUNITY IS SO,
BIG, RIGHT, AND DIVERSE AND IT'S
SO MANY AREAS. WE HELD ONE
SPECIFIC FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN,
NATIVE HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC
ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. AND THEN
THE NEXT HEARING WILL HAVE OUR
LATINO COMMUNITY COME IN AND
ALSO GIVE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I AGREE WITH HER. I'VE SEEN
SOME OF IT, AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH
VERY ALMOST ALIGNMENT, IN WHAT
THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS LOOKING
AT AS WELL TOO, AT THIS TIME,
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO
COME UP THERE AS A MICROPHONE
RIGHT IN THE FRONT. SO IF YOU'D
ALL LIKE TO COME UP AND
INTRODUCE YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION
AND YOUR POSITION.
AND SINCE WE'RE AHEAD OF TIME,
YOU CAN GIVE TWO SENTENCES. HOW
ABOUT THAT? OKAY I THINK YOU'RE
COMPETING AGAINST THIS. SO
PLEASE SPEAK RIGHT INTO THE
MICROPHONE. COME AS CLOSE AS YOU
CAN AND AS LOUD AS YOU CAN. OKAY
THANK YOU FOR THIS, MY NAME IS
PRISCILLA HUANG. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICANS IN
ACTION, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE
TESTIMONY OF TODAY'S EXPERT
PANEL, AND I WANT TO SHARE. I'M
WEARING, THREE YEARS AGO, MY
NIECE PASSED AWAY, AND I'M
BRINGING HER TO THIS SPACE
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SO
INVISIBLE FOR SO LONG, SHE WAS
STRUGGLING WITH A LOT OF MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES. THREE WEEKS AWAY
FROM GRADUATING FROM HIGH
SCHOOL, SO THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, STACY HIRAMOTO WITH
REMCO, THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC
MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES
COALITION, ALSO REPRESENTING
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY,
MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
REDUCING DISPARITIES PROJECT
REALLY WANT TO THANK THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR HAVING THIS
HEARING, BECAUSE IT IS SO
IMPORTANT. AND THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING TO THE VERY MOVING AND
ILLUMINATING TESTIMONY OF THE
WITNESSES, WE REALLY NEED TO
TAKE ACTION, AND WE HAVE A LOT
OF IDEAS. BUT IN THE IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL SPEAK
LATER. THANK YOU. FONTAINEBLEAU
ALAMEDA COUNTY I SUPPORT THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, FOR THIS HEARING. THANK
YOU TO NATALIE. PETER, FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. THEY RING NEAR AND
DEAR TO MY HEART AS SOMEONE WHO
IS SUPPORTING HER MOTHER, HER
IN-LAWS IN THEIR JOURNEY IN
MENTAL HEALTH, I AM A DAUGHTER
OF IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN
THAT POSITION OF TRANSLATING FOR
MY FAMILY, FOR MY PARENTS, SO
THANK YOU. DID YOU WANT. GOOD
MORNING, I'M HERE TO SHARE SOME
OF MY LIFE EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE
IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, I HAVE A
SON WHO WHO, HAD A MENTAL
HEALTH. I HAVE TO HELP HIM TO
NAVIGATE, THE SYSTEM IN TWO
DIFFERENT COUNTIES, CONTRA COSTA
COUNTY, SOLANO COUNTY AND NOW
SACRAMENTO COUNTY. SO THE
ACCESSING TO THE TO THE
ASSISTANCE IS A MAJOR, MAJOR
CHALLENGE BECAUSE MANY, MANY
TIMES THE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL,
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE
PROGRAM. BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE
SOMEONE WHO KNOW THE SYSTEM KNOW
WHAT TO DO AND TO HELP, THE
PERSON TO GO TO, TO GET THE
HELP. BECAUSE NOW MY SON IS AT
THE BOARD AND CARE IN THE LAST
SEVEN YEARS. SO HE'S GETTING
BETTER. AND I, I'M HERE TO ALSO
REPRESENT THE ABLE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION IS A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. I
TOTALLY AGREE AND SUPPORT THE
INITIATIVE, BUT THE REAL
HAPPENING HAS TO HAPPEN AT THE
COUNTY LEVEL. THAT'S THE MAIN,
MAIN THING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE ABOUT 25
MINUTES AND I KNOW THERE'S MORE
THAN 25 PEOPLE HERE. SO, I KNOW
I SAID TWO SENTENCES AND WE'RE
ALL DOING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN
TWO SENTENCES. AND I YOU KNOW,
OUR MEMBERS ARE HERE AND WE WANT
TO HEAR YOU ALSO, IF WE COULD
JUST KEEP GET KEEP IT GOING.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS PREETHI
SABARWAL. I AM THE FOUNDER OF
THE SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITY HEALTH
PROMOTION SERVICES PROGRAM.
WE'RE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS
MISSION AND I'M ALSO A DAUGHTER
OF IMMIGRANTS REPRESENTING THE
PUNJABI AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
DOING THIS WORK HAS REALLY
IMPACTED THAT COMMUNITY, SO I
HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE, WORKING
NHIÀU MY ORANGE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA. HELLO EVERYONE. MY
NAME IS VITA NÂNG. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CAMBODIAN FAMILY COMMUNITY
CENTER IN ORANGE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT
OF AN EIGHT YEAR OLD WHO JUMPED
OFF THE BRIDGE, COMMITTED A
SUICIDE IN THE CITY OF SANTA ANA
TWO YEARS AGO. SHE WOULD HAVE
BEEN HERE IN THIS ROOM WITH YOU
ALL IF SHE WERE ALIVE, BECAUSE
SHE WANTED REALLY TO BRING THE
CASES THAT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO
ACCESS THE MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US. MY NAME IS DOCTOR
CAMELIA LOUIS. I'M A RESEARCH
SCIENTIST FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
INSTITUTE IN ALAMEDA COUNTY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING IN
ALL THIS DATA RESEARCH. IT'S SO
IMPORTANT. I'M COMING IN FROM
THE NIH PERSPECTIVE, BUT I'M
ALSO RECOGNIZING THERE'S SO MANY
COMMUNITY VOICES THAT REPRESENT
DATA AS WELL. AND WE REALLY NEED
DATA DISAGGREGATION TO SUPPORT
WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES I ALSO
REPRESENT THE REDUCING
DISPARITIES PROJECT AND THE
ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HUB AS
WELL. AND ONE GIVE A WHOLE
HEARTED THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR
ALL WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. HI.
THANK YOU. HI. GOOD MORNING AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOLDING
THIS HEARING. MY NAME IS TÔI
DODD. I AM WITH CRACK THE
SOUTHEAST ASIA RESOURCE ACTION
CENTER, ONE OF THE SENIOR
CALIFORNIA PROGRAM MANAGERS AND
A CONSTITUENT IN ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. NGUYEN'S DISTRICT. SO, I
SUPPORT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
DAUGHTER OF AN IMMIGRANT
IMMIGRANT MYSELF. AND THIS IS A
VERY, VERY BIG MOMENT HERE. SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
SPACE. THANK YOU. HI. GOOD
MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HOLDING
THIS SPACE FOR US ALL. MY NAME
IS VINCENT CHIU. I'M A COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY MANAGER HERE AT THE
CALIFORNIA PAN ETHNIC HEALTH
NETWORK. I'M FROM SACRAMENTO BUT
BASED IN THE BAY AREA AT THE
MOMENT. I'M HERE REALLY IN
SUPPORT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT EVERYONE HAS PLACED OUT
TODAY. ALSO, THE SON OF REFUGEES
HERE AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN
SACRAMENTO. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
JADE MCMILLAN. I'M FROM ASIAN
HEALTH SERVICES. I'D LIKE TO
CONSIDER MYSELF AN UNOFFICIAL
PARAPROFESSIONAL AS A DAUGHTER
OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS AND HAVE
HAD TO NAVIGATE THAT MENTAL
HEALTH SYSTEM, IT'S BEEN A
CHALLENGE. SO I SUPPORT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU.
HELLO. MY NAME IS BEN WONG WITH
ASIAN HEALTH SERVICES SUPPORT
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO THANK
YOU TO SO MANY OF YOUR
LEADERSHIP FOR INVESTING IN THE
STOP THE HATE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS
PROVIDED SO MUCH NEEDED CAPACITY
AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS
THE MENTAL HEALTH GAPS, VICTIM
SUPPORT SERVICES, AS WELL AS
ALLOWED US TO TRAIN AND BUILD
CAPACITY FOR DOZENS OF OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON LAY MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELING. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER NGUYEN. MEMBERS, THANK
YOU, HERE TO SUPPORT THE
RECOMMENDATION AND ALSO JUST TO
URGE THE LEGISLATURE, AS WE
CONTINUE TO SEE A LACK OF A
MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE IN THE
STATE GENERALLY TO CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE THESE PRIORITY
POPULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, CHARLES. YEAH, HEALTH
ADVOCATE AT, NIKO'S CHINESE
HEALTH COALITION AND SF
CHINATOWN. I ALSO SUPPORT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS. I ACTUALLY HAD
A FRIEND, LAST YEAR COMMIT
SUICIDE. I WAS GOING TO BE SIX
DAYS FROM NOW, SO I'M REMINDED
BY THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WORK.
I'M ALSO A CONSTITUENT UNDER
ALEX LEE'S, DISTRICT TWO. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. HI. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER NGUYEN AND OTHER ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ANDREW
MINER. I'M WITH THE ASIAN
RESOURCES INC. AS AN
ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS CLOSELY
WITH ASIAN AMERICANS AND AAPIS
IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WERE
INTIMATELY AWARE OF THE MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY
AND THEREFORE SUPPORT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS SB
1078, WHICH WOULD INCREASE
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS JIMENA
WALLA. I AM THE ADVOCACY
COORDINATOR WITH EPIC EMPOWERING
PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. I
SUPPORT THE ADVOCACY POLICY AND
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN AND ON
BEHALF OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND
PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES.
I'M JUST HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS
MY SUPPORT IN THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE MADE
AND ALSO WANT TO SHARE TWO FOR
PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO BE
EXACERBATED THROUGH COVID 19,
THAT WE ARE STILL CONTINUING TO
SEE THAT, REHABILITATION FOR OUR
COMMUNITY. AND I JUST WANTED TO
SHARE ONE OUT OF FIVE NHPI YOUTH
HAVE MADE A SUICIDE PLAN, AND SO
THE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS ARE
CONTINUING TO DESPAIR. OUR
COMMUNITY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH YOU
ALL TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER,
FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. MY
NAME IS S¼. I AM A PROGRAM
DIRECTOR AT KOREAN COMMUNITY
CENTER OF THE EAST BAY. I
SUPPORT ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND I WANTED TO SHARE AS WELL AS
I, MY FAMILY, OUR SURVIVOR OF
THE KHMER ROUGE GENOCIDE. SO A
LOT OF THE ISSUES STILL CONTINUE
TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.
THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS ELENA
KIM. I LIVE IN SANTA CLARA
COUNTY. I AM PART OF CWCB AS A
MFT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
THERAPIST INTERN AND I SUPPORT
WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS. I HAVE OUR
COMMUNITY LEADERS LINED UP
BEHIND ME. THEY ARE PART OF
CWCB. THEY REPRESENT OUR
COMMUNITY. THEY ARE LEADERS,
FIGHTERS AND THEY ARE HERE TO
SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY WILL BE
SPEAKING IN KOREAN. THANK YOU.
SO. Â HIÆN. SO. THANK YOU.
LIMON. TAKE ONE. TAKE THE EASY.
HAMNIDA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Ó. OAN. MOYAMOYA AND THANK YOU
. I AM SORRY, I AM VERY SHORT ON
MY ENGLISH, OKAY, MY NAME IS, I
AM KOREAN, CWCB ALAMEDA COUNTY.
TÌM THANK YOU. CAÑADA MURATSUCHI
MIDDLE EAST VÀ CðC KOREAN
COMMUNITY Â PROGRAM. ALAMEDA
THANK YOU. HI, EVERYBODY. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS YANG SUN,
KCC EB ALAMEDA COUNTY. THANK YOU
. GOOD MORNING. THURMOND
HEESEUNG HIÂU IMNIDA SORSOGON.
KCC C K KCC IBA. SO K EQUAL.
ALAMEDA COUNTY. YES. OKAY.
SUMIDA HAMNIDA DA. THANK YOU.
NATO SO. KIMSOOJA. AMIDA,
SORSOGON. KCC EBI. MIDA ALAMEDA
COUNTY. MIDA E AMIDA. THANK YOU.
HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CHARLIE,
I COME TO THE KCC EB COMMUNITY
AND I LIVE IN ALAMEDA COUNTY AND
I LIKE TO DO KCC EB. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS MATTHEW LONG
AND I'M FROM ALAMEDA COUNTY AND
I WORK WITH KCB. AND AS ONE WHO
HAS SEEKED MENTAL HEALTH IN THE
PAST AND IN THE PRESENT, I
STRONGLY RECOMMEND I STRONGLY
SUPPORT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. TOTTENHAM
YING DICHEV MENDOCINE. THE OMAHA
CHEN. THANK YOU. ANNYEONGHASEYO
CHAIRMAN CHRIS HØI CARILLO. THE
KCC EPS OKAY SUMIDA TOÀN 11-3
COUNTY IZUMIDA. EMBOLDENED.
HAMNIDA KAMSAHAMNIDA. THANK YOU.
HI HO. HI KCC BIG NICKEL OR
ALAMEDA COUNTY, I'M AN IMMIGRANT
AND ALSO A FIRST YEAR MSW
STUDENT AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT
ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO
MUCH. AS A SURVIVOR OF A SUICIDE
ATTEMPT WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
CSCB, I WON'T BE STANDING HERE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DENISE.
I'M FROM ASIAN HEALTH SERVICES,
ALAMEDA COUNTY. I'M THE CHILD
AND YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM
MANAGER, AS SOMEONE THAT WORKS
WITH YOUTH, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND
HOW MUCH THESE PROGRAMS ARE
NEEDED AND ACCESS TO MENTAL
HEALTH. WE RECENTLY DID A NEEDS
ASSESSMENT FOR OUR YOUTH, AND 13
OUT OF 67 RESPONSES EXPRESSED
THAT THEY EITHER ATTEMPTED OR
PLANNED SUICIDE. AND SO, AGAIN,
I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW OUR
PROGRAMS HAVE BENEFITED OUR
YOUTH. AND SO I STRONGLY
RECOMMEND THESE, I STRONGLY
AGREE WITH THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU.
CHIRLA LIAO. IN SUPPORT OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, DAUGHTER OF
IMMIGRANTS WHOSE GRANDMOTHER
SUFFERED IN SILENCE WITH
SCHIZOPHRENIA. SO THANK YOU FOR
HOLDING THIS HEARING, TO REALLY
MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE IS
SUFFERING IN SILENCE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR MAKING THE DRIVE OUT
HERE, TRAVELING OUT HERE FOR
SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TOPIC IN
OUR COMMUNITIES, YOUR WORDS,
WHILE I MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD
EVERYTHING, I HEARTFULLY FELT IT
AS WELL AND SO I APPRECIATE IT.
MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU COME
OUT LIKE THIS. IT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT
ALSO TO THE MEMBERS THAT ARE
HERE. AND I KNOW THE OTHER
MEMBERS THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO
MAKE IT. THEY ARE STREAMING
ONLINE WATCHING IT, AND THERE
ARE OFFICE. AND SO IT TRULY DOES
MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU COME
OUT AS A COMMUNITY TO ADVOCATE
FOR WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AND
WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, I
WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND
THE MEMBERS THAT TOOK THE TIME
TO COME OUT HERE TO HEAR THIS
TODAY, AND TO HAVE THE
INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED, WITH
THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WANT
TO THANK THE PANELISTS TO
AMAZING INFORMATION THAT YOU
SHARED. I KNOW THAT WE WERE
CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH WITH
OUR OFFICE, JESSE BERMUDEZ, MY
DISTRICT DIRECTOR, AND LYNN HERE
FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE, AND I
HAVE MY DISTRICT OFFICE TEAM
RIGHT BACK THERE AS WELL TO
REALLY WORK WITH YOU CLOSELY TO
MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS A HUGE
SUCCESS. AND THIS WAS AN AMAZING
SUCCESS. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. TAKE A PICTURE.
YEAH.