FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2025
Contact:
WASHINGTON D.C. – NAAPIMHA, the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, is proud to announce the release of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Healing, Empowerment, Awareness, & Resilience Toolbox (HEART), a virtual toolbox of resources for communities impacted by anti-Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) hate incidences.
The HEART resource for AA and NHPI communities was developed in 2024 through a public-private partnership of federal agencies, academic researchers, behavioral health practitioners, AANHPI advocates and associations, and people with lived experience. The public-private partnership to address Anti-AA and NHPI Hate was formed in 2023 at the Pathways Forward: Action Plans to Advance Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Mental Health meeting convened by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE). Workgroup members include: Cori Cafaro (SAMHSA OBHE), Krystle Canare (NAAPIMHA), S.K. Choi, Richelle Concepcion (AAPA), Doris Chang (New York University), Larke Huang (SAMHSA OBHE), Helen Hsu (APA Division 45), Deeana Jang (WHIAANHPI), Manju Kulkarni (Stop AAPI Hate), Warren Ng (AACAP), Anne Saw (DePaul University), and Angela Tang (RAMS, Inc.).
The Anti-AA and NHPI Hate Workgroup highlights the work of AA and NHPI community-based organizations across the country by identifying tools, strategies, and resources to assist communities in responding to anti-AANHPI hate and violence and maintaining a personal sense of safety and well-being.
NAAPIMHA extends its gratitude to SAMHSA’s Office of Behavioral Health Equity, the White House Initiative on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), its fellow workgroup members, SAMHSA OBHE Intern Nour Salloub, NAAPIMHA Intern Lishan Carroll, NAAPIMHA Website Consultant Allyson Goto, and community partners for its collaborative efforts to develop the HEART resource. Resources featured in the toolbox were reviewed by members of the workgroup and each item was evaluated using standardized criteria to ensure quality and appropriateness.
The HEART resource is hosted on the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association website at www.naapimha.org/aanhpiheart. The HEART resource is a “living” toolbox to which we will add relevant resources as they become available. If you would like to share a resource to be featured on the toolbox, please fill out the following form: bit.ly/HEARTRESOURCEFORM.
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About NAAPIMHA
NAAPIMHA, the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and redefine the mental health and wellbeing of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, through mental health trainings, community mental health programs, national policy and advocacy, and rapid community crisis response, while centering those with lived experience.
Since 2001, NAAPIMHA has worked with AANHPI-serving community based organizations across the country to identify and respond to the mental health needs of AANHPI communities nationwide. Over the past 20 years, provided training and consultation to over 150 AANHPI-serving community-based organizations and 3500 AANHPIs around the country resulting in behavior change and improved skills to promote positive health outcomes for individuals and the communities they serve.