KCCD & SAMHSA Mental Health Collaborative

KCCD has partnered  with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to create a Community Leaders and Interfaith Partnership within the Korean and Asian American community in Southern California. As one of 12 communities selected by SAMHSA across the United States, KCCD is privileged to convene a group of faith-based and community leaders who will guide and lead an effort to improve access to resources, and information, as well build our leadership capacity in the area of me
ntal health awareness, substance abuse and advocacy.  For more information, visit www.kccd.org.

Grace Weltman of Communities in Motion is facilitating this collaborative process in which various agencies, faith leaders, nonprofit organizations, mental health advocates within the Asian Amerianc Community within Southern California are working together to develop a sustainable model to increase resources and advocacy around mental health and awareness.

Data on Asian Americans and its Implications on Mental Health Resources and Advocacy

Contrary to the model minority myth, many Korean and Asian Americans in Southern California are suffering in silence with mental health and substance abuse issues.

• Asian Americans are the fastest growing victims of hate crimes.
• Suicide rates among Asian American youth and young adults are among the highest across all ethnic groups across the United States.
• 30% of Asian American girls from 5th to 12th grade report having symptoms of depression.
• 17% of boys (5th to 12th grades report they experience physical abuse.
• 60% pf Korean married women report being battered by their spouses.
• Most Asians are reluctant to report domestic violence.
• Asian gangs are the fastest growing street gangs in L.A. County with 20,000 members.
• Asian Americans have the highest percentage of juvenile arrests in L.A. County.