ACRS marks fourth annual National AANHPI Mental Health Day
On May 10, 2024, ACRS proudly joins forces with the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), the U.S. Congress, and more than a hundred community organizations, businesses, cities, and states nationwide to honor the fourth annual National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Mental Health Day.
As a social justice agency dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of AANHPI communities by providing culturally competent, culturally safe and lingustically accessible services, ACRS celebrates AANHPI Mental Health Day by recognizing our staff and countless others who share our mission.
Our mental health is influenced by every aspect of our lives, yet it remains a subject rarely discussed among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. AANHPI Mental Health Day raises awareness about mental health within our communities, mobilizing resources for community organizations, forging partnerships, and advocating for policies that enhance access to culturally appropriate services.
In the United States, AANHPIs exhibit the lowest rate of mental health care utilization compared to other racial or ethnic groups, with only 36 percent of AANHPI adults with a mental illness receiving treatment in 2022. Moreover, suicide has emerged as the primary cause of death for AANHPI youth aged 10 to 24 in the United States in recent years, making AANHPI youth the sole racial or ethnic group in this age category to face this grim reality.
Since its proclamation in the State of California in 2010, May 10 has been acknowledged as AANHPI Mental Health Day. In 2021, Representative Judy Chu (CA-27) introduced the pioneering congressional resolution to designate May 10th as National AANHPI Mental Health Day, and last year, a Senate companion was introduced for the first time by Senator Mazie Hirono (HI). This congressional resolution calls upon members of Congress to raise national awareness about mental health issues specific to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community and urges state and local health agencies to enhance the caliber and accessibility of mental health services for this demographic.
We stand in solidarity with the AANHPI community, committed to destigmatizing AANHPI mental health. We extend an invitation to join us and NAAPIMHA in our collective endeavor to promote and redefine the mental health and well-being of AANHPI individuals and communities across the United States.
