Depending on their country of origin, 5-15% of API immigrants have chronic hepatitis B. In some Pacific Rim countries, as many as 10-20% of the population are chronically infected.
About CHAA
Guiding Principles
- We recognize that individuals, families, and communities have their own unique knowledge, experience, strengths and resources that deserve acknowledgment and respect
- We engage in collaborative partnerships that balance research and action
- We recognize the need for systems change as the goal to reduce health disparities
- We search for solutions to problems through participation, equal power, joint planning, and action
- We facilitate healing through strength-based and culturally supportive action and advocacy
- We deliver high-quality and culturally appropriate services
- We believe wellness, recovery, and resiliency are possible for all
Strategies
Community Health Services
CHAA offers community-based behavioral health services for children, youth, and adults through therapy, case management, alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment, consultation, and psychological assessment. We also offer wraparound services for children, adolescents, and their families facing emotional and behavioral challenges as well as adults who are homeless or at-risk.
CHAA is the only provider in West Contra Costa County of adolescent alcohol and other drugs treatment services and is the treatment provider for the West County Juvenile Drug Court.
CHAA supports healthy youth development through activities including after-school academic tutoring, DJ skills and digital media training. CHAA’s Community Engagement efforts include prevention and early intervention programs designed to reduce stigma attached to behavioral health issues and services, and to improve overall wellbeing, particularly in API communities.
Models and Interventions
CHAA is committed to developing culturally sensitive models and methods for meeting the needs and aspirations of our communities and clients. Our strategies include popular education and community-based participatory research (CBPR) that assist communities in building action for change.
Wellness Advocates, who are from the communities they serve, work to identify the factors that contribute to wellness in their communities, organize workshops, develop cultural wellness activities and offer assistance with access to needed services. Examples of community-driven program design include community gardens, arts and crafts, dance, music and storytelling.
CHAA's therapists and counselors extend services into the community in order to engage individuals, families and communities in the process of creating health and wellness.
Training and Technical Assistance
Workforce and leadership development within API communities is critical to improving self-esteem, empowerment and family income levels. In 2010, CHAA initiated a rigorous graduate psychology internship program to prepare API students to become social workers, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists.
Through API Connections, a collaborative of API community groups and partners in the Bay Area, CHAA also piloted a community workforce development training and support group. We provide consultation and technical assistance to community-based organizations in program development, proposal writing and conflict resolution.
Advocacy for Systems Change
While CHAA's policy work is targeted at multiple systems, the work begins at the individual and community levels. Using popular education and community-based participatory research, we assist communities in building action for change. We bring the voices of the communities we represent to various local, state and national forums in advocating for resource allocations to new and emerging API refugee communities.
