阿拉米達縣首次亞太裔精神健康宣傳日!2016 ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER (API) MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY
2016-05-10 18:05
五月是全美精神健康宣傳月。根據世界衛生組織(WHO)對於健康的概念：沒有心理健康，就沒有真正的健康（No health without mental health）。世界衛生組織報告指出：精神健康與精神疾病與軀體健康和軀體疾病一樣，是由多個相互作用的社會環境、心理和生物因素決定的。精神疾病的患病風險都與貧窮的相關指標，包括低教育水平、低收入與不良住房條件等，關係密切。易於罹患精神疾病的危險因素涉及：不安全感和絕望感，快速的社會變化，暴力威脅和軀體疾病。
精神疾病是常見病。以傷殘調整生命年（DALYs）來計算，1990 年世界上精神和行為問題佔整個疾病負擔的 11%。預計到 2020 年將增長到 15%。精神健康問題亦帶來其他一些社會負擔。 1990 年抑鬱症是第四大疾病負擔，預計到 2020 年將上升到第二位，僅次於心臟病。然而，很多政府和社會忽略了精神疾病和精神衛生。 WHO 收集的數據顯示，很多國家精神衛生可用資源與精神疾病所導致的負擔之間存在很大的差距。與最近幾十年世界人口健康的總體收益相比，精神疾病的負擔有所增加（Eisenberg 1998；Desjarlais 等，1995）。
令人非常興奮的是2016年5月全美各地已經開展很多精神健康宣傳活動。心理健康月的目標是讓人們關注心理精神健康問題。越來越多的人知道能做些什麼來幫助提升我們的生活品質和改善病情。隨著知識的增長來分享經驗，提供支持和減少歧視。通過普及教育和宣傳，讓大眾相信努力促進精神健康是可行和值得的。
由於亞裔社區的不斷發聲和亞裔族群缺乏精神健康服務支持的數據披露，政府部門愈來愈關注亞裔群體的精神健康狀況。 5月10日星期五，阿拉米達縣議會發佈公告：宣布2016年5月13日為阿縣首次亞太裔精神健康宣傳日。美國華裔精神健康聯盟NAMI ACS 有幸參與到這一偉大事件中。
阿拉米達縣精神健康服務部將聘請「加州減少心理健康資源不均計畫」（簡稱CRDP）加州亞太裔工作小組主任鄭建宏博士Dr. Rocco Cheng開展為期一年半的研究計劃。 第一期報告分析了加州亞太裔社區缺乏心理資源的現狀，提出改善建議，為加州亞太裔居民爭取福祉。鄭建宏博士說：「我們需要通過宣傳教育來減少亞太裔對心理疾病的禁忌並提高認知率。對於社會上執法人員對精神疾患的不公正待遇產生的悲劇，CRDP報告提出的新計畫和策略也可以教育和培訓執法人員，讓他們能夠理解病患而不是將病患的行為解讀為有意攻擊。」5月13日伊始，造福阿縣亞太裔社區精神健康的行動拉開序幕，鄭建宏博士會帶領其專業團隊深入調查阿縣精神健康亞太裔社區服務狀況，為阿縣精神健康服務部出具可行方案，幫助阿拉米達縣改進在亞太裔社區精神健康的服務品質。
2016 ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER (API) MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY
May 13, 2016
WHEREAS, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors declares May13th as Asian Pacific Islander, (API) Mental Health Awareness Day in Alameda County; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to support the recovery process of clients/consumers and family members struggling with the challenges of mental health issues through the delivery of welcoming and honoring culturally responsive services, including but not limited to community defined practices offered by Asian American and Pacific Islander providers; and
WHEREAS, mental health issues are among the leading causes of disability in America, and have not been properly addressed for those who identify as API; and
WHEREAS, Alameda County BHCS to better address disparities specific to APIs has launched a quality improvement initiative and will lead the efforts with essential input from consumers, family members, providers and other stakeholders to focus specific attention on advocating and promoting funding for culturally congruent programming for this diverse population; and
WHEREAS, the 1999 Surgeon General’s Report identified Asian Americans as one of the four major ethnic groups experiencing mental health disparities in this nation. Further, the API population is the largest ethnic category in Alameda County, with a poor record of being reached by effective services; and
WHEREAS, as of July 2, 2014 there are 28.9% Asians, 1% Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in Alameda County and only a 2% utilization rate of public mental health treatment programs; and
WHEREAS, Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, in an effort to respond to these concerns, has been one of the pioneering County departments to heed the needs of the API community by establishing an API Quality Improvement Initiative to progress in our work of using culturally responsive approaches, esources, and tools that will enhance restoration of mental health wellness; and
WHEREAS, clients/consumers, family members, providers, spiritual leaders, and all other interested stakeholders can participate in uniting in a collective effort to replace misinformation about mental health, and erase prejudice,fear, and blame, thereby reducing stigma, loss of face, and disparities in regard to the services provided to the API community,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED this Board of Supervisors, County of Alameda, State of California,does hereby proclaim May 13, 2016 as Alameda County “API” Mental Health Awareness Day, and encourages all citizens to participate in this important cause.
SCOTT HAGGERTY, President
Supervisor, First District
WILMA CHAN, Vice President
Supervisor, Third District
RICHARD VALLE
Supervisor, Second District
NATE MILEY
Supervisor, Fourth District
KEITH CARSON
Supervisor, Fifth District
彭一玲主任和鄭建宏博士手持CRDP的加州亞太裔族群第一期報告呈現給公眾。
