RAMS: A Comprehensive Mental Health Services Agency in San Francisco

RAMS co-presenting at the 2012 SFIAAFF: Himalayan Youth Voices Project

2012-02-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

RAMS is again proud to be a community co-presenter at the 30th Annual San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. The festival features over 100 films from America and around the world. This year, RAMS shall be co-presenting HIMALAYAN YOUTH VOICES PROJECT on Saturday March 10 at 1:15 pm.

From the CAAM website:

With funding from the Asian Pacific Fund and the Comcast Foundation, we collaborated with the grassroots organization Sahayeta at the first Himalayan Youth Summit in Oakland, connecting with youth from those three national backgrounds for an intensive media training workshop. From there, the Himalayan Youth Voices Project was born. The project was created and organized by Sapana Sakya, Public Media Director at CAAM.

The Project’s goal is to engage a growing but often invisible segment of the Asian American community in the Bay Area, and to give its youth access to the tools that enable them to tell their own stories. The youth participated in a ten-week workshop with CAAM and the youth media experts at TILT (Teaching Intermedia Literacy Tools). The youth participants were introduced to both professional production skills and the media literacy skills necessary to navigate today’s digital reality.

RAMS is also honored to have been the recipient of grants awarded by the Asian Pacific Fund, and to be co-presenting this special film.

Integrated Care for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Communities: A Blueprint for Action

2012-02-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

RAMS is excited to be able to share with our community the official copy of the Integrated Care for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Communities: A Blueprint for Action: Consensus Statement and Recommendations. This document truly represents a group effort, which RAMS was delighted to be a part of, and the Blueprint reflects years of dedication by so many individuals & organizations who have given to improving the quality of care for our communities. The document was published, in January 2012, by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, and authored by DJ Ida, Ph.D., Janet SooHoo, MSW, and Teresa Chapa, Ph.D., MPA. It was an honor for RAMS to be invited to participate in this process. In addition, several staff from RAMS assisted & volunteered at the expert consensus meeting & summit that was held in San Francisco, hosted by National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association. Please feel free to distribute this document so we can all build on the recommendations, educate stakeholders/providers/decision makers, and take action!

Click HERE to read the document online.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for the Peer Specialist Certificate Program

2012-01-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

RAMS, in collaboration with San Francisco State University, is pleased & very excited to announce the start of Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program for the Spring 2012. The Brochure, Application, and Open House information is posted on the RAMS website (click HERE).

We are accepting applications through March 2, 2012, at 5:00pm.

About the Program: Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. and San Francisco State University Department of Counseling jointly developed and are offering the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the primary goal of the Certificate program is to prepare consumers of community behavioral health services or family members with the basic skills and knowledge for entry-level peer specialist/counseling roles in the community behavioral health system or to further their career in the field.

For more information, you can also contact Christine Tam, Program Coordinator, with any questions at christinehtam@ramsinc.org or by phone (415) 668-5955 x386. You can also join us at our Open House - click on the flyer above for more details.

We look forward to the Spring 2012 class in April and continue training the next generation of Peer Specialists/Counselors.

Fu Yau Project Winter Newsletter

2012-01-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest Fu Yau Times, a semi-annual newsletter with great articles and tips on parenting and resources for the community. Check it out by clicking HERE.

About the Fu Yau Project:

The Fu Yau Project is one of the many Child, Youth & Family Services offered at RAMS. It is a collaboration of RAMS and Chinatown Child Development Center (CCDC) and is located at 720 Sacramento Street, in San Francisco's Chinatown district. This innovative program provides prevention and early intervention mental health services to the childcare community that cares for children, ages 0-5 years old. Services includes the following: On-Site Program and Child Observation; Clinical Consultation with childcare staff and families; On-Site Intervention with individual and groups of children; Parenting Classes and Support Groups; and In-Service Training for the childcare staff relating to child development and mental health related issues. The Fu Yau Project staff includes child psychiatrists, licensed and license-tracked clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists, all of whom reflect the unique language skills and cultural competence needed to provide services for the children, families, and teaching staff of the childcare programs.

Through the Fu Yau Project, RAMS currently provides services at more than 43 childcare centers, eight family childcare providers, five family resource centers, and one after school site, which are located in over nine San Francisco neighborhoods.

Graduation Day - Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program Fall 2011

2011-12-16T15:54:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to announce the graduation of the Fall 2011 Cohort of the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program on Thursday, December 8th, 2011. This is the third graduating cohort of the program. Friends, family, and members of the behavioral health community gathered on that day to support and celebrate this special occasion with our graduates at the San Francisco State University downtown campus.

Kavoos Bassiri, RAMS CEO, along with Dr. Rob Williams, Chair of the Counseling Department at San Francisco State University, Dr. Mya Vaughn, Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University, and Christine Tam, Program Coordinator, conducted the ceremony to recognize the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the graduates that led them to successfully complete the program.

Throughout the past 12 weeks, students went through an intensive training that taught them the skills and knowledge of being a peer counselor in the field of community behavioral health. They devoted themselves to attending eight hours of lectures each week on topics related to counseling individuals with mental health conditions and/or substance use related issues. In addition to attending class regularly, the program demanded students to spend time outside of class to review lecture materials, complete reading assignments, and work on class projects. Many of the graduates from this cohort faced personal challenges outside of the course throughout these 12 weeks, yet, they continued their hard work and dedication in spite of these challenges to meet the demands the program. Their resilience and ability stay committed are highly commendable.

At this time, graduates are looking for opportunities to continue their pursuit in the field of community behavioral health. Several of them have already expressed interest in further education in the field while others have started the process of looking for employment and internship opportunities. We look forward to hearing from them as they continue to develop professionally. We anticipate hearing many future contributions to the community by this graduating class. .

The next cohort for the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program will begin in April 2012. Details about how to apply for the next cohort will become available in January 2012. Please contact Program Coordinator, Christine Tam at (415) 668 – 5955 x386 or christinehtam@ramsinc.org for additional information.

Youth Council Fall 2011

2011-12-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

In September of this year, Youth Council reconvened with vigor and new faces. This year’s Youth Council has 9 youth attendees and two RAMS staff advisors who meet once a month to discuss mental health services and issues pertinent to the adolescent and young adult population. The opinions and perspectives of youth participants are gathered to better address the delivery service within RAMS and the larger CBHS system. Over the past months, we have screened clips from the documentary, “Race to Nowhere” (2009), discussed the academic pressures that our teens face and explored tips for self-care and connecting teens to mental health services. Sai-Ling Chan-Sew, LCSW, RAMS Clinical Supervisor/Consultant and also former Director of the Child, Youth and Family System-of-Care, Community Behavioral Health Services, visited and joined our discussion regarding stress management.

In 2012, the Youth Council will be accepting new members who have an interest in participating in this program. If you know of a youth who would be a good fit, please contact Nira Singh, PsyD. or Stephanie Chen, Ph.D. at (415) 668-5955 for more information. For a sneak peek--topics of the new year will include teen-friendly recruitment and outreach strategies as Summer Bridge will start gearing up for their third year.

Yahoo! Employee Foundation (YEF) awarded a sizable grant to RAMS

2011-11-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

We are extremely pleased to announce a $32,430 generous grant award from the Yahoo! Employee Foundation (YEF), a donor-advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, to RAMS.

The YEF funding will support the high school-based trauma/grief & loss counseling and outreach services RAMS provides through the Wellness Centers. Over the course of the past 10 years of providing bilingual & bicultural services at the high school-based Wellness Centers, RAMS has identified gaps in service delivery for interventions for trauma/grief & loss. Community linkages have proven challenging due to the severe lack of resources for students & families, especially for those living in poverty. In the 2010-2011 school year, about 200 students receiving services through RAMS Wellness Centers’ Behavioral Health Counselors reported being affected by community violence and 450 youth reported grief & loss as one of their main issues. As issues of community violence occur abruptly, having enhanced trauma/grief & loss counseling services greatly strengthen the capacity of schools and the community to intervene. By intervening early and helping students identify feelings and learn strategies to manage strong emotions, we can enable them to function academically and socially in their lives. Furthermore, by providing immediate intervention, we aim to prevent or lessen the biological responses to trauma that often create academic barriers that snowball to close off further education and/or vocational opportunities. In the long term, students are taught coping and de-escalation skills to ameliorate the effects of trauma/grief & loss. Through community building and teaching positive coping skills, we aim to reduce at-risk behaviors including isolation, substance use/abuse, violence and retaliation while increasing retention in school and promoting academic success.

With the YEF funding, there will be enhanced capacity and resources to meet these growing needs of adolescents who are impacted by trauma, grief, and loss issues. Speaking about this grant, Kristin Chun, LMFT, RAMS Director of Behavioral Health Services at Wellness Centers said, “We are truly honored to have the inspiring support of YEF. In a time when economic support for community services is compromised, it’s invaluable to have acknowledgement from the private sector that supporting students to succeed emotionally and academically in schools is a priority. “

Founded in 1999, YEF, one of Yahoo! Inc.’s social responsibility programs is a unique grassroots philanthropic organization that brings together the talents, time, and financial resources of Yahoo! employees to serve the needs of communities around the globe. YEF is a unique foundation that is entirely employee driven and all the money is donated by employees as well as all the activities are run by a volunteer committee of Yahoo! employees.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to RAMS Board of Director member and Yahoo! employee Ms. Pueng Vongs for championing this grant.

API Circle Holiday Celebration!

2011-11-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

Once again, RAMS is very pleased to be a community supporter of the exciting & fun API Circle event. The API Circle is an alliance of San Francisco Bay Area Asian & Pacific Islander American leaders and organizations with the mission to create meaningful relationships and collaborative efforts that are cross-generational, ideologically neutral and diversely representative.

The first API Circle’s project was the Asian Pacific American Closing Night Celebration which was held at Carnelian by the Bay in San Francisco on Tuesday, May 31st, 2011 in conjunction with over 30 community partner sponsors, generous food donors, and over 50 co-hosts, supporters, and volunteers as well as over 600 guests in attendance. As a follow-up to the last very successful event, the next project is an end of the year holiday celebration gathering and the planning is currently underway!

When: Thursday, December 1 • 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Where: Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 Ninth Street, Suite 290, Oakland, CA

Your co-hosts are in the planning stages right now, but expect the same wonderful features ...
- GREAT people
- TERRIFIC co-hosts and co-sponsoring organizations
- AWESOME entertainment
- highlighting & supporting community non-profits and their work
- food & drinks
- raffle drawings

All are welcome so please help us spread the word by inviting your friends to attend too! Guests need not be over 21.

RSVP:
Eventbrite: http://apicircle-endoftheyear.eventbrite.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132753860162219

This will be inter-generational & multi-ethnic event and just a whole lot of fun!

Your co-hosts:
Chris Chang - Christopher Do - Claire Chang - Colbert Tse - Doreen Lew - Jason Kwan - Jenny Lau - Jonathan Leong - Kavoos Bassiri - Keesa Ocampo - Manufou 'Fou' Liaiga-Anoai - Melanie Lew - Nwe Oo - Paul Yep - Ron Lee - Rose Chung - Ryan Takemiya - Sandra Siharath - Stephanie Balon Wong - Taiko Fujimura - Tamiko Wong (Partial list)

Community supporters:

American Legion Cathay Post #384 - Asian American Donor Program (AADP) - Asian Peace Officers Association (APOA) - Bay Area Benefit - Books for the Barrios - Community Health for Asian Americans (CHAA)- Genki for Japan - JAB - Lunar Giving Circle - National Association of Asian American Professionals - San Francisco (NAAAP-SF) - Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) - Pacific Asian American Women Bay Area Coalition (PAAWBAC) - Pacific Islander Community Partnership-SF Samoa - RAMA - RAMS, Inc. - SEACHAMPA (South East Asian Cultural Heritage & Musical Performing Arts) - TaiwaneseAmerican.org - Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) - Taiwanese American Professionals (TAP) - Wa Sung Community Service Club - Weaving Through Change (As of this date)

Business Supporters:

Blue Salud Special Events - Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services - Jewelry by TR (As of this date)

P.S. This location is close to BART, paid parking for $2/hour is available downstairs, and there should also be some street parking available but carpooling is suggested (greener and it's more fun, right?). http://www.oacc.cc/visit/directions.html

Attire: Ethnic or cocktail (which means more fun than business attire) suggested - but business or business casual is fine too.

Things are just getting started so please let API Circle know if you can help in either of the following ways:

Volunteer: http://tinyurl.com/apavolunteer

Donate: http://tinyurl.com/apadonation

Hope we will see you on December 1st!

Photo credit - Mukumbura on Flickr

Supporting Immigrant Students

2011-10-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

American classrooms have become increasingly diverse. Immigrants and refugees now comprise over 20 percent of the students in U.S. public schools, and this percentage is expected to grow to 30 percent by 2015. The number of English language learners has also increased, doubling in size from 1995 to 2005.*

Students who are first, second, third and even fourth generation immigrants may encounter (and continue to encounter) emotional, social and academic challenges.

Galileo High School’s Wellness Center team members Ulash Dunlap, LMFT (RAMS Behavioral Health Counselor) and Deborah Bryant, RN contributed to a publication titled “Strategies for Engaging Immigrant and Refugees Families.” This is a document produced by National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention and published by Education Development Center in July, 2011. The publication interviews individuals and schools across the country and is a wonderful resource for our school community. Below it is a summary of some of the educational, emotional and social lessons learned in working with immigrant students. Hope you find this information useful in your work!

Social and Emotional Challenges of Immigrant Students and Families

FAMILY
• Many families have experienced separations for extended periods as children are sent ahead to live with relatives, or parents emigrate first in order to establish a life before sending for their families.
• There is the stress of moving to a new environment and culture. Immigrant families face the challenge of adapting to a new culture and learning new rules and roles.
• Families may experience conflict between generations as children and youth often acculturate more quickly than their parents.
• Many parents experience the stress of not being able to speak the language. They may experience adult and child role reversals when children learn English more quickly and need to act as interpreters and negotiators with health care and school officials.
• Lack of involvement in the immigration process: students not involved in the moving process may exhibit anger towards parents.

SCHOOL
• Most immigrant families deeply care about their children’s education and health. However, many immigrants often show respect for schools by keeping their distance; the unspoken norm in many countries outside of the United States is that it is the teacher’s job is to educate their children, and thus it is disrespectful to a teacher’s expertise for parents to participate.
• Other factors that may influence parental engagement are parent’s limited English language proficiency, parent’s negative perceptions of the school environment, work schedules, limited formal education, lack of resources and ability to help their children with homework.
• Social isolation from language/cultural barriers can lead to truancy, gang involvement, depression, and other mental health issues.
• Emphasis on high academic performance can cause anxiety and stress for the student.
• Lack of positive role models that can relate to immigrant youth’s unique up-bringing and experience; makes developing a positive self-identity and hope for the future more difficult.

CULTURE AND LANGUAGE
• Grief and loss issues: leaving family members, friends, and communities behind, losing previous socio-economic status, social or cultural identities, or transitioning from dominant to minority group consciousness, may create a sense of loss. Immigrant students may also experience resentment, stress, anxiety, discrimination, and hostility in their new communities.
• The notion of a healthy kid may be different from the Western idea of “healthy adolescent development.” For example, in some cultures, being a healthy kid means to not talk about problems outside the family.
• Language barriers: frustration in being misunderstood, teasing by peers can create loneliness and isolation.

Here Are Some Strategies Staff Might Find Helpful:
• Provide opportunities for immigrant students to tell their stories. Share those stories with the school community (during faculty or department meetings, postings on the school web site and/or G-House TV).
• Recognize that it may take five to seven years for students to learn how to read and write in English. Take this into account as you create and grade class work and tests.
• Mental health issues may arise as a result of exposure to war, dislocation, acculturation, and fear of deportation. To avoid stigma, don’t use the labels “mental health or “mental illness.” Refer students to the Wellness Program for counseling.
• Consider becoming a mentor. A mentoring relationship with an adult can help children to sustain hope and enhance engagement in school.

If you would like more information or get a downloadable copy, you can also visit the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention web site at: http://sshs.promoteprevent.org/publications/pp-guides/strategies-engaging-immigrant-and-refugee-families.

Source * Morse, A. (2005, March). A look at immigrant youth: Prospects and promising practices. National Conference of State Legislatures, Children’s Policy Initiative.

RAMS Hire-Ability Vocational Services: A salute to our Production business partners

2011-10-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Our Hire-Ability Vocational Services is well known for the Employment Services, Employee Development, Café Phoenix, Vocational IT and Janitorial training programs. However, less is known about our business venture & the businesses that support the soft skills training and assessment program that provide individuals with mental health conditions paid work while working on their soft skills and other barriers to gain competitive employment.

For about 10 years, Mosaic Mercantile has been a close production business partner and continues to be the main vendor of Hire-Ability. Hire-Ability is the main source of workforce labor for Mosaic Mercantile and continues to meet their needs through packaging, labeling and preparing craft kits. Most of their items are sold through nationwide craft stores such as Michaels Arts & Crafts and Beverly’s Fabrics and Crafts.

Besides Mosaic Mercantile, our Hire-Ability production vendors include Living Intentions, an organic food company whose products are distributed through Whole Foods Market and Draegers Market. University of California San Francisco and University of the Pacific are two other vendors that we continually do business with, by packaging supplies for both dental schools. Other vendors that we are proud to partner with are Flax Art & Designs, Glob, KFOG and Open Door Products. Flax Art & Designs has recently added the Hire-Ability’s logo on their select craft paper items labels which are sold through their online business and retail stores.

These businesses provide revenue necessary to enhance our clients’ training and assessments through paid work activity. If you are interested in being a vendor with Hire-Ability, please contact Ms. Bin Bin Chen at 415.282.9675 xt.233 or bchen@hire-ability.org. If you would like to gain more information on referring clients to our programs or to have a tour of our facility, please contact our Intake Coordinator at 415.282.9675 xt.207.

Fox and Jewel, November 18-20, 2011

2011-10-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

As part of their Fall 2011 Season, GenRyu Arts, together with Asian Improv aRts and JCCCNC, presented Tsukimi Matsuri at San Francisco’s Japantown Peace Plaza on October 15. This featured GenRyu Arts-Gen Taiko & Odori, and master artist Hideko Nakajima and Hideki Kai, Kaala Carmack and the J-town Hui, Francis Wong, Todd Nakagawa, Ravi Chandra, and other artists.

Coming up in November, music, poetry, animation and drama will combine for a feast of the senses! Fox and Jewel is a modern retelling of a Japanese fox myth in support of Japantown. As San Francisco prepares to redevelop Japantown, fears abound as to what redevelopment will do to the spirit of this vibrant community. This fun and timely collaboration arose as an expression of community concern. Featuring taiko artist/dancer/choreographer Melody Takata, poet and writer Ravi Chandra, actor/comedian Todd Nakagawa, shamisen/taiko/jazz artist Tatsu Aoki, composer/jazz artist Francis Wong, Gen Ryu Arts cast, filmmaker Adebukola Bodunrin, and lighting designer Patty Ann Farrell.

Fox and Jewel will be held from November 18 through 20th at the Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th Street. For more info and tickets to this event, click HERE.

Dr. Ravi Chandra, who is one of the collaboratoring artists with Gen Ryu, is also a Medical Director at RAMS. His most recent book of poetry A Fox Peeks Out, described as " meditations on spirituality, life and technology", will also be available at a discount at the Fox and Jewel performance.

Remembering Mary Jane Hipe

2011-10-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved staff, Ms. Mary Jane T. Hipe, M.A. Ms. Hipe passed away on September 28th in San Francisco. Although she was battling health related conditions for some years, which she bravely handled & coped with, her passing was so sudden and is a shock to us. We mourn her loss and will always cherish the memories of her and working with her.

Ms. Hipe began her employment at RAMS, as a Mental Health Counselor, back in 1996 and has been working with us since then until her sudden passing. As a Mental Health Counselor, bilingual in Tagalog and Waray-Visayan dialect, she worked in various capacities over the years, working at RAMS Adult Outpatient Services Clinic and Child, Youth & Family Outpatient Services as well as working offsite at various sites providing counseling and consultation services (such as Balboa Teen Health Center and West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service, Inc.). Additionally, when not at RAMS, she worked as a Therapist at Daly City Youth Health Center for 12 years, where she counseled students at two different high schools. Ms. Hipe worked tirelessly to serve those in need and worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of clients and families as well as school personnel, teachers, and administrators. Also, before moving to the United States, she had worked for about a decade as a Guidance Counselor and Psychometrician in the Philippines.

Jane was a truly genuine, talented, compassionate, skilled, and effective counselor. She thought deeply about her work and maintained a steadfast commitment to work in community settings, year after year. She was seen as a leader & major resource to the community, especially the Filipino-American community. Jane had presented at various conferences, conducted & facilitated many workshops, and received many awards & acknowledgements. Among the various recognitions, she received a Certificate of Honor from San Francisco Board of Supervisors for her selfless contribution of time & expertise and strengthening Pilipino families, and she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Healthy Start Program for her hard work & dedication. She loved her work and working with people, always making a positive difference in other people’s lives. She cared about everyone and was always so generous with her time, kind words, thoughtfulness, and giving greeting cards & little gifts at different occasions.

We extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and co-workers as well as those who knew & worked with her over the years. We will sorely miss her and her positive presence, but we will never forget her and will always keep her spirit alive.

Information on Visitation/Vigil/Funeral:
Friends are invited to visit after 4:00pm on Monday, October 3rd, 2011 and visit after 4:00pm on Tuesday, October 4th with a Vigil Service at 7:00pm on Tuesday, all at Duggan's Serra Mortuary, 500 Westlake Ave., Daly City.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 5th at 10:30am at St. Andrew Church, 1571 Southgate Ave., Daly City.
As we have been advised, in lieu of flowers donations may be made to Daly City Youth Center, 2780 Junipero Serra Blvd., Daly City, CA 94015-1634 or RAMS, 3626 Balboa St., San Francisco, CA 94121.

Friends are encouraged and more than welcome to leave condolences online at the Duggans Memorial Guestbook HERE.

RAMS receives 2011 Community Service Award!

2011-09-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

RAMS is grateful for receiving the 2011 Community Service Award from the Greater Geary Boulevard Merchants & Property Owners Association. This award was presented at their annual luncheon on Sept. 14th. We are proud to serve the Richmond District and San Francisco for 37 years!

As recipient of the award, RAMS was also presented with a 2011 Toyota Sienna donated by SF Toyota and its generous owner Mr. Horton. RAMS is truly honored to receive this Community Service Award from the Association (Mr. Heller, President) and is very thankful to SF Toyota for their generosity!

RAMS Lends its Support!

2011-09-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

RAMS is pleased to be a co-sponsor and community supporter for two upcoming community events:

2011 San Francisco Mayoral Candidates Forum

WHEN: Wednesday, September 28 6:30pm - 8:30pm

WHERE: Chinese Culture Center, 750 Kearny Street (3rd floor of the Hilton Hotel), SF

WHAT: Presented by Chinese for Affirmative Action, this event will be moderated by: Vincent Pan, Chinese for Affirmative Action; Sarah Wan, Community Youth Center; and Kwokshu Leung, KTSF 26
MORE INFO: www.caasf.org

Co-Sponsoring Organizations: Chinese Culture Center; API Budget Coalition; SF Rising Alliance; and Gay Asian Pacific Alliance

Advancing Justice Conference 2001: Strengthening the legacy of Asian American and Pacific Islander Activism

WHEN: October 27-28, 2011.

WHERE: Hotel Kabuki, 1625 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

WHAT: This 3^rd Annual Conference includes exciting workshops: 1) Civil and Human Right, 2) Capacity Building, 3) Youth Leadership & Community Organizing, and 4) Immigrant Integration & Civic Participation.

MORE INFO: http://advancingjustice.org/conference/2011/

RAMS Welcomes this year’s Interns and Trainees Group!

2011-09-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

True to the RAMS commitment to fostering the next generation of culturally competent clinicians, each year the agency offers internships throughout the various programs. We welcome this year’s new intern and trainee group! We look forward to year of learning, growth, and opportunities.

U.S. Office of Minority Health invites RAMS CEO to first-ever Roundtable Discussion

2011-08-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

Kavoos G. Bassiri, RAMS President & CEO, was invited by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Healt h (OMH) to participate in OMH’s first-ever roundtable discussion on addressing health and behavioral health needs through integrated care for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders titled, Integrated Care for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities: A Blueprint for Action.

OMH and its partner, the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA), hosted a two-day meeting (8/15-8/16, 2011) with the goal to bring together a diverse group of health and behavioral health professional and key stakeholders to examine the role of integrated care as a formidable method of care delivery for AANHPI populations, and to formulate recommendations and next steps. To achieve this goal, OMH and NAAPHIMA, listened to leaders in the field, learned about new and emerging practices, and together formulated recommendations and consensus statements that would be utilized to lay the groundwork for how to approach integrated care for AANHPI populations in the

U.S.

Among the participants also included Dr. Alvin Alvarez and Dr. Jean Lau Chin, who serve on the RAMS Board of Directors and the Board's Advisory Council, respectively. They were invited separately, on their own, for their community involvement and expertise.

RAMS is thankful to OMH and NAAPIMHA to have had the opportunity to be part of this process!

New Resources on AAPI Mental Health Released by NAMI

2011-08-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

RAMS is excited to share the recent multi-lingual fact sheets on mental illness issues among the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, released by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This was the result of Listening Session (which we blogged about in November 2010), where RAMS President & CEO Kavoos G. Bassiri joined 20 other participants to discuss the unique needs of the AAPI community.

This new series of NAMI fact sheets are now available in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese with the following titles:

Mental Health Issues among Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities
Mental Health Issues among Asian American and Pacific Islander Children and Youth
Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health: A Guide on How to Get Support for Your Loved One
Recovery for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Living with Mental Illness

Also, a special “thanks” went out to Dr. Jei Africa, RAMS, and NAMI New Jersey's Chinese American Mental Health Outreach Program for their contributions to the development of these new resources.

Visit www.nami.org/aapi to access these new informational resources focused on mental health recovery and support of AAPI adults and youth with specific consideration of cultural factors. Materials were released in honor of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2011.

Guest Post - Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT

2011-08-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post is from Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT, Mental Health Counselor at RAMS who also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Bridge program, which is an 8-week summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students, designed "to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions".

******************************************************************

RAMS Summer Bridge 2011: The end of another enriching, memorable summer

Where has the summer gone? It feels like just yesterday that this year’s cohort in the Summer Bridge program was participating in the Fort Miley ropes course, breaking the ice and getting to know each other through various team-building activities. Fast forward eight weeks to 8/5/11, when we held the graduation ceremony where 19 participants received their certificates of completion and came together one last time to reflect on all they learned and experienced, as well as the time spent together as a group.
This cohort eagerly took in all that was offered to them in terms of learning about psychology and the helping professions through the numerous guest speakers and field trips in the program. However, what was most striking about this group is how open they were to new experiences and learning about themselves in the process. This was reflected in the depth of trust in each other as seen in the way they shared their personal stories in the small group discussions. It was also evident in their final presentations where they were asked to present what they learned and experienced in the program. Most of the presentations were of a very personal nature, reflecting on what they have learned and integrating their experiences from this program into the overall narrative of their lives. But, most significantly, it was seen in the strong relationships that formed amongst program participants, as well as with program staff.

One of the goals of this program is to foster a mentoring relationship with program graduates in order to nurture them into this profession, and with the bonds formed during this year’s program, we are hopeful that we will be able to maintain relationships with several of the graduates and support them as they take their next steps towards their dreams.

Speaking of which, there is an exciting new program that is being started by some of last year’s Summer Bridge graduates. Three graduates co-wrote and developed a grant proposal to the Youth Empowerment Fund to start up The Bridge Project where Bridge Outreach Workers (BOWs) will be expanding on what they learned during Summer Bridge to give presentations at high schools about mental health issues. The three youth leaders have recruited five Summer Bridge graduates (from both cohorts) to serve as BOWs to increase awareness of mental health issues and the stigma associated with them. They also have future plans to provide peer-led support groups for those seeking support from other youth. So, as can be seen, they are already giving back to their community and taking tangible steps in pursuit of their goal of becoming mental health professionals. Best of luck to them!

Guest Post: Ulash Thakore-Dunlap, LMFT

2011-08-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Washington DC!

This August, RAMS was represented in numerous ways at the 2011 annual Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) conference, George Washington University, Washington DC. The theme of this year’s conference was “Expanding Our Horizons: Giving Voice to Underrepresented AAPIs.”

AAPA was founded in 1972 and is the largest organization of faculty, students, researchers, and practitioners interested in Asian American psychology. AAPA members and initiatives have positively impacted psychological treatment, education, training, research, policy and social justice advocacy, through research dissemination, organizational policy statements and collaboration with other psychological organizations for publications, training initiatives, and disseminating resources for serving Asian American communities.

The day began with a keynote address by filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem. Deann discussed her work in documenting the experiences of Korean-American adoptees. The rest of the day was filled with engaging presentations including Integrating Mind and Body: Interventions for Asian American Youth, Hmong American Mental Health and Well-Being, Research as a Vehicle for Social Justice: Implications for South Asian Psychology and more.

RAMS work was represented through presentations, and staff presence and involvement at the conference:

Poster Presentation: “A new training model in Asian American community mental health: Integrating program evaluation and clinical training” by Tai Chang, Eddie Chiu, Yuki Okubo, Rose Sneed, Nicole Mayeda, Jacqueline Nguyen, Kavoos Bassiri, Kwong-Liem Karl Kwan, and Christina Shea. RAMS along with Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) co-presented this poster which described the RAMS-CSPP clinical research internship which provides Psy.D. students who are interested in Asian American mental health a unique training opportunity that focuses on both clinical work and research/program evaluation.

Conference Session Presentation: “Ecology, Racism, and Psychological Outcomes among Asian Americans” by Hyung Chol Yoo (Arizona State University), Alvin Alvarez (San Francisco State University), Nellie Tran (University of Massachusetts, Lowell), and Tai Chang (California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University). Alvin Alvarez is board member at RAMS.

AAPA Leadership Team and Division Work: Alvin Alvarez is the AAPA Delegate to APA Council. Ulash Thakore-Dunlap (Behavioral Health Counselor, RAMS Wellness Centers Program) is the incoming AAPA Communications Officer and Chair for the Division on South Asian Americans (DoSAA).

Furthermore, RAMS also presented during another Poster Session, titled “Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 for Chinese American population: Initial validation and factor structure” at the 2011 Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington D.C.

It was wonderful to meet the AAPA conference attendees, share our ideas and knowledge on issues affecting the AAPI community. We hope RAMS will be represented again at next year’s conference in Orlando!

It's time for Bridge - Summer Bridge!

2011-07-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

Despite the unseasonal weather...it’s Summer Bridge time again!

RAMS-Summer Bridge is back for another summer of giving youth an opportunity to dip their toes into the vast waters of psychology and explore the varied career options in the field of mental health. For those of you unfamiliar with this relatively new program, it is an eight-week summer mentoring program for current and recently graduated San Francisco public high school students age 16-20 who are interested in psychology and want to explore career opportunities in the field. This is the second summer that RAMS is offering the program and we are off to a good start! We received over 50 applications for the 20-30 slots we had, and we currently have 19 participants who are well on their way to completing the program.

The program participants meet 12 hours a week at our partner location, Horizons Unlimited in the Mission. They are hearing presentations by guest speakers on topics ranging from identity, self-expression, mental health and stigma, LGBTQIQ issues among adolescents and their families, body image and self-esteem, and personal stories from professionals in the field of mental health. The participants have also gone on various field trips: a RAMS staff training on racism and mental health, a visit to SFDPH/CBHS, a tour of San Francisco State University and meetings with undergraduate and graduate faculty members, and an introduction to our very own RAMS Child, Youth and Families Outpatient Clinic to learn about psychotherapy and the youth-oriented services provided by the agency. With so much learning taking place in such a short period of time, we are also providing space for participants to reflect on what they’re experiencing and opportunities to get to know themselves and each other in the process. This is done through numerous ice breaker activities, experiential activities, and small group discussions.

It’s hard to believe that we are already midway through our program. There is still a lot more to learn and experiences to be had...oh, and hopefully a lot of fun along the way too! Stay tuned for another blog entry at the end of the program....

Ropes Course...Getting to Know (and Trust) Each Other!

It comes Full Circle!

Nurturing the Next Generation of Culturally Competent Clinicians

2011-07-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

The RAMS Summer Bridge program presented a workshop at the Northern Region Cultural Competence and Mental Health Summit XVII titled, “Promoting Equity in Health Services: The Power of Community Based Services.” The presentation, which was held on June 27, 2011, was given by RAMS Summer Bridge Program Coordinator Yuka Hachiuma, MFT, and RAMS Deputy Chief & Director of Clinical Services Christina Shea, MFT, along with two program graduates.

The presentation introduced the audience to the overarching mission of the Summer Bridge program, which is to nurture the next generation of culturally sensitive, linguistically competent, clinicians. Christina Shea spoke of how she experienced the lack of such clinicians in the workforce as an issue that could be addressed by providing a mentoring program that reaches out to youth from under-represented communities and introducing them to psychology and the various career opportunities in the helping professions. Yuka Hachiuma explained how the program was designed and implemented in its pilot year, and described the curriculum and how it was made possible through numerous partnerships with other providers in the community. The program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act.

One program graduate shared his experience in the program, and how it changed perception of himself and encouraged him to apply to college instead of going into the military. He shared that he will be starting at San Francisco State University in the fall and is planning to study nursing or psychology in hopes of becoming a pediatrician in the future. Another program graduate shared her experience of the program, which allowed her to focus her interest in psychology to becoming a psychotherapist in the future. She also spoke of her continued involvement with RAMS through joining the Youth Council and starting her own youth-led organization that builds on what she learned in Summer Bridge, called the Bridge Project.

The presentation was enthusiastically received by the audience who asked numerous questions and expressed excitement for this novel approach to increasing cultural competence in the field of mental health. Several audience members were eager to find out how to implement similar programs in their communities, which bodes well for the future of our profession.

Christina Shea speaking about the need for programs such as Summer Bridge

Yuka Hachiuma describes the Summer Bridge program

Fu Yau Project Summer Newsletter

2011-06-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest Fu Yau Times, a semi-annual newsletter with great articles and tips on parenting and resources for the community. Check it out by clicking HERE.

About the Fu Yau Project:
The Fu Yau Project is one of the many Child, Youth & Family Services offered at RAMS. It is a collaboration of RAMS and Chinatown Child Development Center (CCDC) and is located at 720 Sacramento Street, in San Francisco's Chinatown district. This innovative program provides prevention and early intervention mental health services to the childcare community that cares for children, ages 0-5 years old. Services includes the following: On-Site Program and Child Observation; Clinical Consultation with childcare staff and families; On-Site Intervention with individual and groups of children; Parenting Classes and Support Groups; and In-Service Training for the childcare staff relating to child development and mental health related issues. The Fu Yau Project staff includes child psychiatrists, licensed and license-tracked clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists, all of whom reflect the unique language skills and cultural competence needed to provide services for the children, families, and teaching staff of the childcare programs.

Through the Fu Yau Project, RAMS currently provides services at more than 44 childcare centers, 12 family childcare providers, four family resource centers, and one after school site, which are located in over nine San Francisco neighborhoods.

Graduation Day - Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program

2011-06-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post is from Christine Tam, Coordinator of the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program being offered by RAMS and San Francisco State University. Started in Fall 2010, the Certificate Program's goal is "to prepare consumers and/or family members with the basic skills & knowledge for entry-level employment in the behavioral health system of care and with academic/career planning that supports success in institutions of higher learning".

*************************

The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program is excited to announce the successful completion of the Spring 2011 Cohort! Twelve graduates proudly marched to the music of Pomp and Circumstance on Thursday, May 26^th at the graduation ceremony held at the San Francisco State University Downtown Campus. Over fifty guests, including friends and family of the graduates, guest instructors of the course, and members from the behavioral health community, attended the graduation ceremony to celebrate this momentous event.

The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program, a collaboration between RAMS, inc. and San Francisco State University’s Department of Counseling, offers a university level course that prepares individuals to enter into the field of community behavioral health as direct service providers.

For twelve weeks, each graduate devoted eight hours each week to attend lectures on topics related to developing counseling skills in working with individuals with a mental health diagnoses and/or substance abuse issues. In addition to the in-class lectures, students spent hours outside of the classroom to review lecture materials, complete reading assignments, and work on class projects. Students’ understanding of the materials was rigorously tested throughout the course through quizzes, exams, written assignments, and in-class presentations. The twelve graduates from this cohort committed a tremendous amount of hard work over these weeks, many of whom exceeded the expectations and demands of the course.

Robert Williams, PhD, Department of Counseling Chair at SFSU, addresses the Graduates and their guests at the Graduation Ceremony.

At this time, our spring graduates are actively seeking employment and volunteer opportunities to utilize the knowledge and skills they have learned from the course. In fact, one graduate has already been offered a full-time position as a Peer Counselor at an agency in the East Bay!

Congratulations Spring 2011 Cohort! We look forward to hearing more of your future successes and the many ways you will be contributing to the communities across the San Francisco Bay Area.

The next cohort for the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program will begin in September of 2011. Applications will be accepted starting July of 2011. Please contact Program Coordinator, Christine Tam at (415) 668 – 5955 x386 or christinehtam@ramsinc.org for additional details.

Trainings & Presentations in June 2011

2011-06-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATING API CULTURES

WHEN: Thursday, June 16, 2011. 9:30am - 1:00pm
WHERE: Support for Families of Children with Disabilities, 1663 Mission Street, 7th Floor
WHAT: Together with Asian Pacific Islander Family Resource Network (APIFRN) and other API-focused service providers in the community, RAMS shall once again be co-leading a Cultural Competency training on June 16, 2011 titled "Celebrating API Cultures". The aim of the workshop is to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the complexity of how culture of origin and immigration interface with family's priorities and needs. Panelists will represent the Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, and Vietnamese cultures, and food selections from all ethnic groups will be served for lunch.

Click on the image above to enlarge the flyer.

NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT CLINICIANS

WHEN: Monday June 27 - Tuesday June 28, 2011

WHERE: Doubletree by Hilton San Jose, 2050 Gateway Place San Jose, CA 95110

WHAT: This will be a workshop by RAMS at the Northern Region Cultural Competency Summit - 'Promoting Equity in Health Services: The Power of Community Based Solutions'. Learn about the pilot year of the RAMS Summer Bridge program, a summer mentorship program for under-represented San Francisco high school students designed to increase awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in pursuing a career in the helping professions. This will be presented by RAMS Summer Bridge Program Coordinator Yuka Hachiuma, LMFT, and RAMS Deputy Chief & Director of Clinical Services Christina Shea, LMFT.

Closing Night Event - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2011

2011-05-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

Please join RAMS and other community organizations for the last Asian Pacific American Heritage Month event of 2011! This inter-generational multi-ethnic event shall feature live performances, happy hour specials all night, announcements, and delicious ethnic food. All are welcome so please help us spread the love by inviting your friends to attend too!

RSVP: http://apahmclosingnight.eventbrite.com/

WHAT: APA Heritage Month Closing Night Celebration
WHEN: Tuesday, May 31, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Carnelian By the Bay, 1 Ferry Plaza (behind the Ferry Building), San Francisco. Close to Embarcadero MUNI/BART. $5 valet parking.

Your co-hosts:
Aaron Rora - Angela Pang - Caitlyn Chi - Chris Chang - Christine Hsu - Christine Padilla - Claire Chang - Cliff Yee - Edmond Hui - Frank Chui - Ho Chie Tsai - Irene Kao - James Feng - Jenny Yu - Kavoos Bassiri - Keesa Ocampo - Manufou 'Fou' Liaiga-Anoai - Mary Nicely - Myron Lee - Paul Yep - Plunket Phommachanh - Rich 'Juebop' Jue - Ron Lee - Samson Wong - Sandra Siharath - Shaun Tai - Sourichanh (Sirch) Chanthyasack - Stephanie Balon Wong - Steve Liu - Steven Lee - Susan Lee - Susie Willemsz-Geeroms - Tamiko Wong

Community co-sponsors:
3rd I Film Festival - Asian American 20s & 30s Meetup - Asian American Business Connection Meetup (AABC) - Asian Business League - San Francisco (ABL-SF) - American Legion Cathay Post No. 384 - Asian Peace Officers' Association (APOA) - AsianWeek Foundation (AWF) - Bay Area Asians Meetup - Burma Education Fund - Cherry Blossom Alumnae (CBA) - East of Main Street - Fa'atasi - Hyphen Magazine - Indonesian Day 2011 - Korean American Professional Society (KAPS) - Laotian American National Alliance (LANA) - Mission District Re-Entry Center for Youth (MDRCY) - Nakayoshi Young Professionals (NYP) - OCA-SF (Organization of Chinese Americans - SF) - ORIENTED.COM - Pacific Asian American Women Bay Area Coalition (PAAWBAC) - RAMA - Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc (RAMS, Inc) - SEACHAMPA (South East Asian Cultural Heritage & Musical Performing Arts) - SF Asian Professionals Meetup - SF Cantonese Enthusiasts Meetup - SF Samoa-Pacific Islander Community Partnership - Shelter Network - TaiwaneseAmerican.org - WHOmentors.com, Inc. - Young Filipino Professionals Association (YFPA)

Business supporters:
4fifteen clothing - Alido’s Restaurant (donating lumpia!) - Bok Choy Apparel (selling items!) - Blue Salud Special Events (helping with logistics!) - Burmese Kitchen (donating cold Burmese Salad called Nan gyi thoke) - Fight Life - New Delhi Restaurant (donating mini-samosas!) - Sugar Bowl Bakery (donating brownie bites!) - Usagi Team (selling doggie clothes, wine accessories, and hand-made bags!)

Performers:
Charles Wang (cellist) - Cynthia Lin and the Blue Moon All Stars - Kariktan Dance Company - Michelle Martinez - Traditional Burmese Dancer Using Oil Lamps - Visitacion Valley Ukulele Club

Volunteers:
Angela Tang - Jackie Hwang - Karah To - Q Thang Do - Scott Kong - Sherry Wong - Susan Wong - Vicki Hsu

Poster by Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute

House Leader Nancy Pelosi meets with API Budget Coalitions

2011-05-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Press Release from Chinatown Community Development Center

SAN FRANCISCO (May 27, 2011) – Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi and over 40 community-based leaders from the Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) Budget Coalitions (which includes RAMS) met to discuss federal budget priorities for API low-income families, youth and seniors. Representatives from the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Laotian and Samoan American communities from across San Francisco attended. Leader Pelosi declared her strong support for the three federal budget priorities articulated by the group: the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), Social Security Supplemental Income program (SSI), and Medicare.

Following a presentation by Patsy Tito, Executive Director of the Samoan Community Development Center, on the importance of CDBG funding to API communities, Rep. Pelosi acknowledged that the CDBG program must be protected because it forms the underyling foundation for critical local programs. This is particularly true in San Francisco. CDBG funds nearly every API serving non-profit in the city of San Francisco. These services range from affordable housing to senior, youth, and family support programs.

Leader Pelosi also supported the priority to defend SSI from Republican attempts to raid and deplete the program. Anni Chung, Executive Director of Self-Help for the Elderly, presented on behalf of the community groups, and pointed out that for many API seniors, over 90% of their income comes from SSI.

Leader Pelosi finally urged API community leaders to oppose the current Republican attempt to privatize portions of Medicare after Kent Woo, Executive Director of the NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, presented.

About the Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) Budget Coalitions
The Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) Budget Coalitions is a San Francisco based “coalition of coalitions” formed to coordinate and advocate on government budget policy issues on behalf of vulnerable Asian and Pacific Islander communities. We consist of seven different citywide and neighborhood based Asian and Pacific Islander coalitions focusing on a broad range of issues impacting API’s. Our coalitions and their individual members provide social services and programming on a citywide basis to nearly every vulnerable API community in the City. Collectively, our coalitions include nearly 80 non-overlapping, individual organizations, institutions, and/or agencies.

Peer Leadership & Support

2011-05-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

RAMS Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program was invited to present at the Mayor's Disability Council meeting which took place on Friday May 20. The topics discussed at the meeting were on Mental Health Issues, Peer Leadership, and Peer Support. Christine Tam, Program Coordinator, gave an overview of the program's history and how it was created, student demographics, the current status of the program, and the successes experienced by the students in the program during their class experience and after graduation.

Christine Tam speaks in front of the Mayor's Disability Council

A Week of Mental Health Awareness

2011-05-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

There was a whirlwind of activity at RAMS last week in celebration of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10, as well as the national Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month which both occur in May. A brief recap:

Monday, May 9: The College of San Mateo presented an Asian Pacific American Mental Health Awareness Panel, featuring a panel presentation from RAMS staff about the importance of mental health and culturally-competent services in the A/PI community, working in the mental health profession, as well as challenges and issues specific to the A/PI communities.

Presenting at the College of San Mateo:
(L to R) Kavoos Bassiri, Dr. Stephanie Chen, Dr. Shyamsundar Kotagal, Can Nguyen

Tuesday, May 10: On Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, RAMS presented an all day training event titled "Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond". This widely anticipated event was filled to capacity with over 200 registrants, and was a great success. To kick-off the event, Mayor Edwin M. Lee addressed the audience on the importance of mental health and the Asian Pacific American community. Supervisor Eric Mar, who along with Senator Leland Yee was instrumental in establishing Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, also addressed the audience in the early afternoon.
This all-day training featured an exciting panel of presenters that are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans:
• Alvin N. Alvarez, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Counseling, SF State University; Past President, Asian American Psychological Association
• Jean Lau Chin, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Adelphi University
• DJ Ida, PhD, Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
• Stanley Sue, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director, Center on Excellence in Diversity, Palo Alto University

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee

San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar

Dr. Alvin Alvarez

(L to R) Dr. DJ Ida, Kavoos Bassiri, Dr. Jean Lau Chin, and Dr. Stanley Sue

As an added bonus for this auspicious day, the San Francisco Giants flashed the message "Happy Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day - May 10" on the AT&T Park scoreboard during the 3rd inning of the SF Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game. It was a winning game for the Giants as well!

Thursday, May 12: Staff from the RAMS Wellness Centers Program were speakers at the 2011 California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Annual Conference. The title of the presentation is “Lessons Learned: Providing Creative Tools for Working in School-Based Services to Meet the Needs of Diverse Youth”. RAMS Behavioral Health Counselors Ulash Thakore-Dunlap, MS, Shana Averbach, MS, Alissa Gunsberg, MA, Mia Gutfreund, MA, and Rebecca Peng, MS, as well as Program Director Kristin Chun, LMFT, presented on Thursday May 12, on behalf of RAMS.

Wellness Centers staff presenting at CAMFT: (L to R) Shana Averbach, Alissa Gunsberg, Kristin Chun, Mia Gutfreund, Rebecca Peng, and Ulash Thakore-Dunlap

Saturday, May 14: RAMS was a co-sponsor along with Senator Leland Yee, Supervisor Eric Mar, Kaiser Permanente, Self-Help For The Elderly, San Francisco Recreation & Parks, and Compassionate Community Care for the 7th Annual 2011 Richmond District Community Health Festival. The Health Festival featured FREE clinical health services as well as giveaways, food, health education offered by more than 40 community health organizations, children’s activities and family fun.

RAMS at the Richmond District Health Festival:
(L to R) Christy Tam, Paul Lee, Kristina Bang, Mark Gavartin

May 10 is Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day!

2011-05-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE - RAMS Honors Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day - May 10

Who: Honorable Edwin M. Lee, Mayor, City and County of San Francisco
Kavoos G. Bassiri, President and CEO, Richmond Area Multi-Services

Where: State Building
455 Golden Gate Ave, Milton Marks Auditorium (Lower Level)
San Francisco, CA, 94102

When: Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Press Time (9:00 – 9:30 am)

What:
SAN FRANCISCO – In honoring this year’s Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10th, Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is holding an all day training event Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond.

To kick-off the event, Mayor Edwin M. Lee will be addressing 200+ guests on the importance of mental health and the Asian Pacific American community. Board of Supervisor Eric Mar is scheduled to also address the audience in the early afternoon. This all-day training features an exciting panel of presenters that are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans:
• Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D, California State Senator; Psychologist
• Alvin N. Alvarez, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Counseling, SF State University; Past President, Asian American Psychological Association
• Jean Lau Chin, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Adelphi University
• DJ Ida, PhD, Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
• Stanley Sue, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director, Center on Excellence in Diversity, Palo Alto University

Asian American Mental Health Facts:
• Approximately 25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Asian American girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of any racial/ethnic or gender group
• Asian American women ages 15-24 have a higher rate of suicide than Caucasians, African Americans and Latinos in that age group (Center for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics)
• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders appear to have extremely low utilization of mental health services relative to other U.S. populations (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• Among elderly women of all ethnic or racial groups, Asian Americans have the highest suicide rate (Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Suicide)
• The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States. Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, and suicide. (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

About Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day:

Establishment of Asian Pacific American

Mental Health Day in 2010

The establishment of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day was an effort spearheaded by RAMS along with California State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and San Francisco Board of Supervisor

Eric Mar. It was first established in 2010, as declared by the State of California and the City and County of San Francisco, recognizing the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community.

On the floor of the State Assembly

“Since May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, instituting this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts,” says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President and CEO of RAMS, Inc.

CALL FOR ACTION - Honoring Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10

2011-05-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is reaching out to the California community to honor and recognize “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day” on May 10th. The call for action is for community groups, organizations, coalitions, and associations; health advocates or individuals; and public officials & entities, public health departments, and other affiliates to acknowledge this day and the importance of mental health in the Asian Pacific American community by organizing an activity, making an announcement, and/or simply spreading the word to raise awareness.

Starting 2010, and each year thereafter, the State of California and City & County of San Francisco declared May 10th as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day. This effort was spearheaded by RAMS along with State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and SF Board of Supervisor Eric Mar. Establishment of this day was overwhelmingly supported by many major local, statewide, and national associations and community coalitions. "Since May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, instituting this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts," says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President & CEO of RAMS, Inc.

Approximately 25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “Given the traditionally low rates of mental health utilization within this [Asian American] community, it is our belief that the creation of day to promote greater awareness of the mental health issues facing various Asian American and Pacific Islander communities is a critical and much-needed act of advocacy,” stated Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall, President of the Asian American Psychological Association.

In honoring Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day in 2011, RAMS is holding an all day training event “Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond” in San Francisco. The event features an exciting panel of presenters: Dr. Alvin N. Alvarez, Dr. Jean Lau Chin, Dr. DJ Ida, and Dr. Stanley Sue, and facilitated by Kavoos G. Bassiri. Joining the moderated panel discussion is also Dr. Leland Yee, Psychologist and California State Senator. The presenters are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans. This training is funded by Mental Health Services Act and offered to the community through a collaboration of RAMS and Harm Reduction Therapy Center - Training Institutes.

Seventh Annual Richmond Community Health Festival on Saturday May 14

2011-05-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

RAMS is proud to be a co-sponsor along with Senator Leland Yee, Supervisor Eric Mar, Kaiser Permanente, Self-Help For The Elderly, and Compassionate Community Care for the 7th Annual 2011 Richmond District Community Health Festival.

The Health Festival will feature FREE clinical health services including blood pressure tests, body mass index tests, body fat tests, allergy advice, hearing tests, eyeglass cleaning, dental screening, bone density tests, Hep B screening and medical reviews. The fair will also feature FREE giveaways, food, health education offered by more than 40 community health organizations, children’s activities and family fun.

When: Saturday, May 14, 2011, 10am-2pm

Where: Richmond Recreation Center, 251 18th Avenue, San Francisco (between California and Clement)

For more information call Alex Doniach, 415-557-7857.

Meet RAMS – Angela Tang, LCSW

2011-05-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

On May 3, 2011, in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors honored one individual in each supervisorial district for “public recognition of distinction and merit for outstanding service”. We are proud to announce that Supervisor Eric Mar awarded RAMS Director of Operations Angela Tang, LCSW with a Certificate of Honor as the individual representing the Richmond District of San Francisco. Ms. Tang received commendation for her hard work and dedication with over six years of service at RAMS, and for her commitment to serving the Asian American community in the Richmond District, and the greater San Francisco area.

Please join RAMS in congratulating Angela Tang for this great honor, and in congratulating and celebrating all 11 honorees of the various San Francisco districts!

Asian Pacific American Mental Health Awareness Panel on May 9

2011-04-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

As part of the many activities in celebration of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10, as well as Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, the College of San Mateo shall be presenting an Asian Pacific American Mental Health Awareness Panel, featuring a panel presentation from RAMS staff.

WHEN: May 09, 2011 from 1:10 pm - 2:45 pm.

WHERE: College of San Mateo, 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd.San Mateo, CA 94402, Building 10, Room 192

Representatives from RAMS will be speaking about the importance of mental health and culturally-competent services in the A/PI community. Attendees can learn about working in the mental health profession, challenges, and issues specific to the A/PI communities. This is a free event, open to the public. Light refreshments shall be provided.

Speakers:
Kavoos G. Bassiri, LMFT, CGP, President & CEO of RAMS, Inc.
Dr. Stephanie Chen, Ph.D., Mental Health Consultant, RAMS Fu Yau Project
Dr. Shyam Kotagal, Psy.D., Clinical Supervisor, RAMS PAES Counseling & Pre-Vocational Services Program

Can Nguyen, M.S., Mental Health Counselor, RAMS Adult Outpatient Clinic

(Click on image to enlarge)

A Little Story About a Little Spending Money

2011-04-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

There have been many organizations and individuals in San Francisco who have given assistance and support to Japan disaster relief efforts. One story that caught the attention of Barbara Garcia, MPA, Director of Health - San Francisco Department of Public Health was about the residents and staff of the RAMS Broderick St Adult Residential Facility. Here's what appeared in her Director's Report, as presented to the SF Health Commission on April 5:

Broderick Street: A Little Story About A Little Spending Money

Twice each week the residents of the Broderick Street Adult Residential Facility (33-bed occupancy), a Direct Access to Housing program, come together for a community meeting. The residents who call Broderick home have both medical & behavioral health conditions and live on fixed incomes that give them an average of $125/month for spending money. At the community meeting shortly after the Japan earthquake and tsunami, RAMS Administrator at Broderick, Michael Badolato, noticed an especially somber atmosphere among the residents, many of whom have a difficult time articulating feelings. But on this particular occasion, it became apparent that the tragic events in Japan, along with the images of the terrible suffering of the victims, were affecting even the Broderick residents. A discussion about feelings of helplessness and overwhelming sadness for the people in Japan lead to a suggestion that making a donation to the relief efforts would be something they could do, and make a difference, in the face of so much devastation. Michael Badolato inspired the residents: he would match out of his own pocket any money that the residents contributed. The residents came back the next week with $150, matched by Michael for a total of $300. And because good deeds can frequently inspire more good deeds, the staff at the Broderick also raised and contributed another $150.

Last week, Michael Badolato had the distinct honor of delivering $450 to the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California from the 33 residents & staff of Broderick. RAMS is involved in variety of Japan relief efforts. I know the Health Commissioners join me in thanking the Broderick residents, Michael Badolato, and the staff at RAMS for this moving gesture.

Meet RAMS - Shana Averbach

2011-04-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Wellness Centers is a collaboration with leadership from the SF Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF), Department of Public Health (DPH), San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), and RAMS. Confidential student services are provided on-site at 15 Wellness Centers located in SFUSD high schools, at which RAMS provides the integrated behavioral health services component (mental health & substance abuse). This includes confidential on-site Mental Health and Substance Abuse Assessments, Individual and Group Psychotherapy, Crisis Intervention/Consultation, Grief & Loss/Trauma Counseling, Referrals to community resources, and Consultation to school staff and community.

One Wellness Center serving two distinct communities under one roof is located at The Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and Academy of Arts & Sciences high schools. This Wellness Center is in its fifth year and serves a diverse student population of nearly 1000 students. Shana Averbach, the full-time Behavioral Health Counselor, in addition to providing direct services to students, consulting with parents and teachers, and collaborating with community resources, believes that educating the entire school community about holistic health topics is key to supporting youth and families. She, in collaboration with her wellness team and student advisers puts out five newsletters per year, addressing mental health issues, providing nutrition and physical health information, and providing a space for parent/student dialogue.

Check out the first three newsletters by clicking HERE.

Photo credit - ydhsu on Flickr

RAMS Honors Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day – May 10

2011-03-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is honoring “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day” on May 10th which was first established in 2010, as declared by the State of California and the City & County of San Francisco, recognizing the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community.

“Given the traditionally low rates of mental health utilization within this [Asian American] community, it is our belief that the creation of day to promote greater awareness of the mental health issues facing various Asian American and Pacific Islander communities is a critical and much-needed act of advocacy,” stated Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall, President of the Asian American Psychological Association. Approximately 25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

In honoring Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day in 2011, RAMS is pleased to present an all-day training event “Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond” on May 10th which will be held at the State Building, Milton Marks Auditorium. The event features an exciting panel of presenters: Dr. Alvin N. Alvarez, Dr. Jean Lau Chin, Dr. DJ Ida, and Dr. Stanley Sue, and facilitated by Kavoos G. Bassiri. The presenters are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans. This training is funded by Mental Health Services Act and offered to the community through a collaboration of RAMS and Harm Reduction Therapy Center - Training Institutes. Please contact RAMS for more information.

The establishment of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day was an effort spearheaded by RAMS along with California State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and San Francisco Board of Supervisor (District 1) Eric Mar. It was overwhelmingly supported by many major associations and community coalitions. “Since May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, instituting this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts,” says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President & CEO of RAMS, Inc.

Humanitarian Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Fundraising Hour for Japan on March 31

2011-03-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

The shock and sadness of the news coming out of Japan as a result of the March 11 earthquake, the tsunami, and subsequent nuclear emergencies have touched many of us at RAMS. We join the world’s communities in sending our deepest sympathies to those people in Japan, the Bay Area, the US, and other countries abroad, whose lives, families, and friends were impacted by these events. No doubt it will take a long time to rebuild the country, and perhaps even longer for the physical, emotional, and mental recovery of people affected by this tragedy.

RAMS and its staff have been reaching out and working together with many other organizations to provide assistance, support, and manpower in this time of great need. One way in which you can aid RAMS in our efforts is to join us at the upcoming HAPI Hour for Japan.

When: March 31st 2011, 5:00-9:00pm
Where: Recess, 443 Broadway Street, San Francisco

Proceeds will go to NORTHERN JAPAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND spearheaded by the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Northern California, an organization with disaster relief experience in Japan, focused on relief, recovery and rebuilding.

100% of funds go to the people who need it most… the victims.

Optional donations will be accepted at the door: $5-20 Suggested (100% of the door proceeds will go to the Northern Japan Relief Fund).
In addition, 40% of the bar proceeds (as well as the hors d'ouvres) will be graciously donated by Anna Tran (the owner of RECESS).
DJ Boy Wonder, DJ eHash and DJ Thaifoon are also donating their services.

Click HERE for more information about the HAPI Hour event.
Click HERE for more fundraising events and information from the JCCCNC about the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

Sponsoring Organization: National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP–SF)

Co-sponsoring Organizations: Bay Area Benefit, DAE Advertising, Taiwanese American Professionals, Asian Business League, Project by Project, Oriented, American Legion Cathay Post #384, KollaborationSF, Corporate Asian American Employee Network (CAAEN), Richmond Area Multi-Services, SF Samoa, Samoan Parents in Action, Fa'atasi (Together as One), Together Samoa, OLO - One Love Oceania, UTOPIA, Samoan Solutions, Pacific Health Club, Tongan Interfaith Council, Mission District Re-Entry Center, APOP Hawaiian Cultural Center, Books for the Barrios, Vive SF and many more to be announced.

Host Committee: Keesa Ocampo, Keith Kamisugi, Derek Choy, Eli Kuo, Yumi Chang, Christopher Do, Hon. Greg Chew, Hon. Igor Tregub, Jason Overman and many more to be announced

Community Partners: The Tides Foundation

Glide Community Wellness Fair on April 8

2011-03-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Public Invited for Free Diabetes, Blood Pressure and HIV Screenings and to
Learn Healthy Tips on Stress Reduction, Nutrition, Meditation and More

GLIDE Health Services is teaming up with Bay Area organizations to bring the GLIDE Community Wellness Fair to San Francisco’s Tenderloin District on Friday, April 8, 2011. Community members will learn healthy tips about stress reduction, nutrition, mind health, social health, yoga, meditation, and acupuncture. Other free services include free screenings for diabetes and depression, blood pressure measurements, and HIV Rapid Tests.

The Fair will also feature health related products and information from local vendors, fun activities, prizes and more. GLIDE Community Wellness Fair is free and open to the public.

Location: GLIDE, 330 Ellis St., San Francisco, Freedom Hall (1st Floor)
Date: Friday, April 8
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm

Event Sponsors include:

GLIDE Health Services
Alliant University
CLASP
CIIS
Hospitality House
Mental Health Alliance-SF
RAMS, Inc.
SF Psych Association
SF Suicide Prevention
YMCA

RAMS at SFIAAFF29

2011-03-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

Once again, RAMS was proud to participate in this year's San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, held by the Center for Asian American Media. The festival features 108 films from around the globe, and is a mainstay of the San Francisco Arts and Culture calendar. It is an enjoyable and eye-opening way to learn about Asian Americans and Asian cultures.

Through the involvement of Dr. Ravi Chandra, Medical Director at RAMS Adult Outpatient Clinic as well as a blogger for the SFIAAFF column "Memoirs of a Superfan", RAMS served as a community co-presenter for two films at this year's festival: THE TAQWACORES (USA, 2010), which features young Muslim Americans on a quest for identity through punk rock; and ABRAXAS (Japan, 2010) which is about a Buddhist monk who is undergoing an identity crisis and depression - he invigorates himself by returning to his roots as a punk rocker.

Thank you Ravi and everyone who attended the event!

Seminar - Through the Lenses of History and Trauma: Understanding Russian-speaking Immigrants

2011-03-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Together with the Harm Reduction Therapy Center, RAMS shall be presenting an upcoming training:

Through the Lenses of History and Trauma: Understanding Russian-speaking Immigrants

DATE: April 28, 2011
TIME: 9:00am to 4:30pm (registration at 8:30am)
LOCATION: Baha'i Faith, San Francisco Center, 170 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
REGISTER: Call or Fax form to (415) 821-0410
CONTACT: mhsatraininginstitute@gmail.com

The didactic seminar focuses on this phenomenon in the context of history and culture of the former Soviet Union, informed by the concept of transgenerational transmission of trauma. The presenter will discuss how one’s personal history and previous traumas (individual and societal) give unique personal meanings to experiences of immigration, dealing with associated psychological distress, and contribute to pathological symptoms.

Through film & case presentations and panel forum, there will be a facilitated discussion of the clinical and cultural aspects of the cases in the context of the trans-generational transmission of trauma and concepts introduced during the morning session. Discussion points include the panelists’ psychological insights into the film & case and share their thoughts on culturally typical family dynamics, rites of passage, and trans-generational relationships in the Russian culture.

Presented by Clinical Staff at RAMS: Alla Volovich, PhD, Artur Digilov, MD, Faina Samkharadze, MSW, Alexander Zinchenko, PhD
Film: “The Return” (2003) by Andrej Zvyagintsev

Click HERE to download the flyer.

MFTs/LCSWs: Meets qualifications for 6.0 CE Credits. HRTC is a provider approved by BBS.
Psychologists: HRTC is a provider approved by MCEP. Course Approval Pending.

The Harm Reduction Therapy Center (HRTC) has been engaged by the Community Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) to deliver a series of trainings in San Francisco on the topic of Cultural Sensitivity. Funded by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the project’s goal is to deliver 16 trainings aimed to improve the CBHS workforce’s understanding of the cultural & linguistic issues and needs that affect recovery and resiliency, and improve access to mental health services, for the following ethnic and cultural groups: African Americans; Latinos/as; Asians and Pacific Islanders; Native Americans; Russians; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTQIQ) consumers; Transitional Age Youth; and Older Adults. These trainings are between April 2010 to June 2011.

Photo credit - by n1colas on Flickr

NAMI Listens... and NAMI Reports

2011-02-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

RAMS is excited to share the Asian American & Pacific Islander Mental Health Report, newly released by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on February 15, 2011. This was the result of Listening Session (which we blogged about in November 2010), where RAMS President & CEO Kavoos G. Bassiri joined with 20 other participants to discuss the unique needs of the AAPI community.

The resulting report documents the diverse experiences of this community when dealing with mental health issues, including the many barriers and gaps AAPI individuals and families face when accessing services. The report also offers important recommendations to help mental health systems address these barriers.

The report highlights statistics from the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) and National Asian Women’s Health Organization (NAWHO) posing concern:
• Asian American girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of any racial/ethnic or gender group;
• Young Asian American women ages 15 to 24 die from suicide at a higher rate than other racial/ethnic groups;
• Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among Asian Americans overall, compared to the ninth leading cause of death for white Americans;
• Older Asian American women have the highest suicide rate of all women over 65; and
• Among Southeast Asians, 71 percent meet criteria for major affective disorders such as depression—with 81 percent among Cambodians and 85 percent among Hmong.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders represent a rich diversity of languages and cultures” said NAMI Executive Director Michael Fitzpatrick. “They include traditions from China, India, Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines to name only a few. Mental health care must recognize cultural differences as well as common concerns inside our broader national community.”

Recommendations include:
• A national strategy of outreach and engagement using cultural messages, ambassadors and social media;
• A linguistically and culturally responsive mental health workforce, including recruitment of bilingual and bicultural members of the AAPI community; and.
• Recognition of cultural influences such as tight-knit family connections and individual and family desires to avoid stigma and shame from seeking treatment.

The Executive Summary can be downloaded HERE.
The Full Report can be downloaded HERE.

NAMI’s Multicultural Action Center convened the listening session. Participants included:
• Asian American Studies Program; California State University
• Asian Health Coalition
• Center for Education Empowerment
• Charles B Wang Community Health Center
• Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
• Chinese American Mental Health Outreach Program (NAMI New Jersey)
• Lehigh University
• NAMI Orange County
• NAMI San Diego
• NAMI San Francisco
• Pacific Clinics
• Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services
• RAMS, Inc.
• U.C.-Davis School of Medicine
• Rethink BPD
• San Mateo County Health Department
• Union of Pan-Asian Communities and
• Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health

NAMI also put together this video with footage from the Listening Session, regarding Mental Illness and the AAPI community.

nami_aapi_520x288.mov

Update for the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program

2011-02-22T13:59:00.000-08:00

It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Christine Tam, MA as the Coordinator of the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program, which is jointly operated by Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) and San Francisco State University’s Department of Counseling. This 12-week course is designed to equip students with the basic counseling and case management skills and knowledge for entry-level or advancement in peer counselor/specialist roles in the behavioral health systems of care. The program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act.

We would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to Mia Veroy who is transitioning from this Coordinator position and leaving RAMS at the end of February 2011. Ms. Veroy successfully spearheaded the start-up and implementation of the Certificate program as well as effectively served as the Vocational & Employee Development Coordinator at RAMS Hire-Ability Vocational Services. She has clearly exemplified what amazing things can be accomplished through teamwork, empowering consumers, and offering innovative opportunities to our consumers leading to self sufficiency. We value all that she has done at RAMS and for the San Francisco community for the past six years and wish her all the best.

Starting February 2011, Christine Tam is assuming the Coordinator role. She is a bilingual & bicultural clinical social worker with many years of experience providing dedicated & culturally competent services to underserved communities as well as demonstrating exceptional organizational skills. Ms. Tam has been working in the social service field for nearly ten years at various local community settings, and is also currently at the RAMS Wellness Centers Program as a Behavioral Health Counselor. She has unique expertise in working in school settings and with immigrant communities, including the Asian & Pacific Islander American population. Ms. Tam received a Masters of Art in Clinical Social Work from University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and earned her undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Economics from the University of Chicago.

We congratulate Christine Tam on her new appointment as the Coordinator of the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program.

Meet RAMS - The Fu Yau Project

2011-02-18T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Fu Yau Project is one of the many Child, Youth, & Family Services offered at RAMS. It is a collaboration of RAMS and Chinatown Child Development Center (CCDC) and is located at 720 Sacramento Street, in San Francisco's Chinatown district. This innovative program provides prevention and early intervention mental health services to the childcare community that cares for children, ages 0-5 years old. Services includes the following: On-Site Program and Child Observation; Clinical Consultation with childcare staff and families; On-Site Intervention with individual and groups of children; Parenting Classes and Support Groups; and In-Service Training for the childcare staff relating to child development and mental health related issues. The Fu Yau Project staff includes child psychiatrists, licensed and license-tracked clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists, all of whom reflect the unique language skills and cultural competence needed to provide services for the children, families, and teaching staff of the childcare programs.

Through the Fu Yau Project, RAMS currently provides services at more than 44 childcare centers, 12 family childcare providers, four family resource centers, and one after school site, which are located in over nine San Francisco neighborhoods. The program's current client demographics include the following: 99% are low-income families with limited resources; over 80% of the families are of Asian & Pacific Islander ethnicity, many of whom are from China and have limited or no English-speaking skills; 12% are Latin Americans; 6% are African American.

The Fu Yau Project also distributes a semi-annual newsletter with great articles and tips on parenting and resources for the community. Check it out by clicking HERE.

Photo credit - Capt Kodak on Flickr

Seminar - Psychology of the Web & Internet Addiction

2011-01-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

RAMS is proud to present an upcoming seminar!

Psychology of the Web and Internet Addiction:
Symptomatology & Intervention
Presented by Guest Speaker Ofer Zur, PhD.
February 4, 2011
From 9:00am to 1:30pm (Registration 8:30am)
Full Life Center, 3535 Balboa Street, San Francisco

Dr. Ofer Zur is a consultant, licensed psychologist, writer, forensic consultant and lecturer from Sonoma, CA.

This seminar will review the emerging fields of Psychology of the Internet, Internet Addiction, and Online Gaming. It will focus on the increased tension between parents and children regarding internet use, overuse, and abuse. The fact that parents, by definition, are digital immigrants and children are digital natives creates multi-levels of misunderstanding, miscommunication, and inevitable conflicts. The lecture will discuss the true nature of multitasking, Internet use, over-use, and abuse, and online gaming, and will explore the application of the addiction model to Internet Addiction and Online Gaming Addiction. Additionally, it will provide information about assessment and interventions with those who abuse or become addicted to the Internet or to online gaming.

Click HERE to register online, or click HERE to download the flyer.

MFTs/LCSWs: Meets qualifications for 4 CE Credits. Richmond Area Multi-Services is a provider approved by BBS (PCE4601).
Psychologists: Meets qualifications for 4 CE Credits. RAMS is a provider approved by MCEP (RIC121).

Registration $40 priority through January 31 only (will increase to $50 February 1 onward & on-site) includes CEU Certificate

Photo credit: by Visibly Damaged on Flickr

Guest Post - Mia Veroy, Program Coordinator

2011-01-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Today's guest post is from Mia Veroy, Program Coordinator at both the RAMS Hire-Ability Vocational Services Employee Development Program as well as the new Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program being offered by RAMS and San Francisco State University. Started in Fall 2010, the Certificate Program's goal is "to prepare consumers and/or family members with the basic skills & knowledge for entry-level employment in the behavioral health system of care and with academic/career planning that supports success in institutions of higher learning".

******************************************************************

The Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program - a collaboration between Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. and San Francisco State University’s Department of Counseling - is proud to announce its first cohort of graduates from the Fall Cohort of 2010.

This unique class offering, funded by the Mental Health Services Act, allowed both agencies to create a pioneering curriculum designed to prepare individuals for employment into the behavioral health system. After 12 weeks of intensive and rigorous training, the students are ready to increase the workforce and let their voices be heard. Engagement and retention was high, with 18 students successfully completing the course out of the 20 that were selected for the initial class offering. The program included weekly classes, quizzes & exams, job shadowing and volunteer experiences that each individual had to complete in order to pass this course.

The success of this program would not have been possible without the amazing support that was received from the San Francisco community that came in various forms, such as the contributions of valuable hours from our panel of guest lecturers who agreed to share their knowledge and expertise free of charge, as well as donations of food and supplies.

The Certificate Program had the opportunity to acknowledge all these contributions and honor the students’ accomplishments during the graduation ceremony held in December 2010. The presence of family members from as far as Alaska and Utah as well as having representatives from three generations truly made this event memorable. It was a fitting way to honor the level of commitment, focus, and determination of all the students who plowed through all obstacles imaginable just to finish this course.

Many of the graduates are now in the process of getting registered with the Employment Services of RAMS Hire-Ability as well as the State Department of Rehabilitation to begin the job search. For some students, it is a matter of following up on the job leads or offers already received from their job shadow sites as well as contacts from the Job Fair hosted by the program. Organized activities such as alumni events as well as advisory committees are in the pipeline and ready for implementation in the coming months to ensure that the graduates receive continued support and guidance. In fact, several of the graduates came to the recent Open House for the Spring 2011 cohort to show support for the program, but more importantly, to provide assistance to the new applicants, a testament to how they have eased into their roles as peer counselors.

With the amount of work that has been accomplished in the past year, there is still a lot more to be done, yet RAMS is filled with an overwhelming sense of renewed hope and faith in the future. The best is yet to come!

Meet the folks behind the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program (L-R): Angela Tang, MSW, RAMS Operations Manager; Mya Vaughn, PhD, Assistant Professor, SFSU; Robert Williams, PhD, Department of Counseling Chair, SFSU; Mia Veroy, RAMS Program Coordinator; Kavoos G. Bassiri, LMFT, CGP, President & CEO, RAMS.

******************************************************************

RAMS is now accepting applications for the Spring 2011 session! Click HERE for more information and for application forms & instructions.

Photo (at top) credit from jpellgen on Flickr

RAMS at CAMFT 2011

2011-01-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce that the RAMS Wellness Centers Program shall be represented at the upcoming 2011 California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Annual Conference. The title of the presentation is “Lessons Learned: Providing Creative Tools for Working in School-Based Services to Meet the Needs of Diverse Youth”.

The annual conference, already in its 47th year, shall be held from May 12-15 in Burlingame, CA. RAMS Behavioral Health Counselors Ulash Thakore-Dunlap, MS, Shana Averbach, MS, Alissa Gunsberg, MA, Mia Gutfreund, MA, and Kin Leung, LMFT, as well as Program Director Kristin Chun, LMFT, shall be presenting Thursday May 12, on behalf of RAMS.

We are very proud and honored to have our work at the Wellness Centers recognized and showcased at such an esteemed event!

Recognitions well deserved!

2010-12-21T21:59:00.000-08:00

On December 21, 2010, RAMS received three Certificates of Recognition from Sai-Ling Chan-Sew, LCSW, Director of the Child, Youth, & Family System of Care in the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The RAMS Child, Youth, & Family Outpatient Services was recognized for

Exceptional agency-wide compliance in providing a detailed picture of children, youth, and families served by completing the "Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths" assessment, and

"For its commitment to the implementation of the Second Step program, a research based violence prevention curriculum that emphasizes the development of social and emotional skills to help students succeed in school and in life"

The RAMS Wellness Centers (Behavioral Health Services) program was recognized for

"Its commitment to the implementation of Seeking Safety, an evidence-based, manual-guided cognitive behavioral therapy for co-occurring PTSD and substance abuse issues"

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to our program staff for all of their hard work and accomplishments!

We're known for our Cookies too!

2010-12-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

A recent article in local neighborhood paper The Potrero View talked about the writer's journey "Hunting Dogpatch for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie". It just so happens that RAMS Hire-Ability's very own Cafe Phoenix is in the Dogpatch neighborhood, and we were listed amongst notable Potrero purveyors such as Serpentine and Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous as one of the chocolate chip cookie finds!

Cafe Cook/Trainer Phil Woods was interviewed for the piece by Potrero View staff writer Bill Slatkin: "Meanwhile, I checked out the cookie offered at the Cafe Phoenix, owned by [RAMS] Hire-Ability, the training and job placement nonprofit located south of Dogpatch on Indiana Street. Cook and baker Phil Woods produces a firm and tasty two-ounce cookie sold for $1.25, which ranks with the best in the neighborhood. And while recognizing there’s an art to doing it correctly, [Woods] emphasized what he called the “exact science” of using fresh ingredients in the precise amounts, baked at the ideal temperature for just the perfect amount of time. Those specs remain a trade secret."

This blog writer has also tried the cookies herself, and they are absolutely delicious, crispy along the edges, with a substantial chewines. Thank you, Phil!

To read the article in its entirety and discover more about where the GOOD chocolate chip cookies can be found in the Potrero, click HERE.

2010 Community Service Award from NCSPP

2010-12-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

On December 3, RAMS was presented with the 2010 Community Service Award from the Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology:

"In recognition of your longstanding commitment to advocating for and providing community-based, culturally competent, and consumer-guided services to the residents of San Francisco, and in deep appreciation for the high quality psychodynamic training that you provide to mental health service providers. Your program serves as a model for the compassionate, socially responsible, and culturally-informed practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy and training."

RAMS was recognized for its contributions to both patients and therapists-in-training, and for serving as an inspiration to those committed to providing psychodynamically-informed treatment to everyone, regardless of financial circumstance, immigration status, or ethnic & cultural background.

November activities

2010-11-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

RAMS staff were quite active in the community during the month of November!

Program Director of RAMS Asian Family Institute Eddie Chiu, PhD, was a featured presenter at the Problem Gambling Regional Summit in Santa Rosa, held on November 19. This was part of the California Problem Gambling Technical Assistance and Training Project of the National Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse (NAPAFASA) intended for service providers and the general public to "Learn about the issue of problem gambling in California and its impact on individuals, families, and communities; Prevention and intervention methods and resources, including clinical treatment and resources for financial protection; and Current and future directions in problem gambling prevention, treatment, and policies." The two topics which Dr. Chiu spoke about were 1) Assessment and Treatment of Problem Gambling, and 2) Family Centered Problem Gambling Interventions.

RAMS Deputy Chief / Director of Clinical Services Christina Shea, LMFT, was interviewed together with Judy Young, Executive Director of Vietnamese Youth Development Center, for the Cantonese Journal weekly show on KTSF Channel 26. Interviewed by Anni Chung, Executive Director of Self-Help for the Elderly and co-host of the Chinese Journal (Cantonese show), the episode aired on November 20th. Ms. Shea and Ms. Young represented as co-chairs of the Asian & Pacific Islander Health Parity Coalition (APIHPC). They introduced the work and achievements of APIHPC, discussed the goals of APIHPC for 2010-2011 - media campaign on “de-stigmatization” of mental illness and service seeking behaviors, outreach/education of promoting mental health in API community, advising Department of Public Health on culturally competent services for API, and asking the API community for feedback and advice on service delivery - and spoke with the audience about considering the behavioral health helping professions as potential careers.

Photo credit - cbcastro on Flickr

Promoting Equality in Schools

2010-11-10T13:24:00.001-08:00

The Wellness Centers program shall be featured in a presentation by RAMS Wellness Centers Behavioral Health Counselor Ulash Dunlap, MS, PPSC, at the 6th World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders. This will be held on November 17-19, 2010 in Washington DC.

The title of Ms. Dunlap’s presentation is “Promoting Equality in Schools: Lessons Learned in Working with Immigrant Youth”. Ulash Dunlap (Behavioral Health Counselor, RAMS, Inc.); Kavoos G. Bassiri (President & CEO RAMS, Inc.); Deborah Bryant (School District Nurse, San Francisco Unified School District - SFUSD); Kristin Chun (Director, Behavioral Health Services/Wellness Centers Program, RAMS, Inc.)

The presentation will explore how RAMS is successfully and collaboratively working on-site at the schools to support the mental health needs of immigrant students vital work which, in turn, helps to promote equality. RAMS provides the integrated behavioral health services component of school services, including mental health & substance abuse treatment. During RAMS tenure, students have been surveyed bi-annually by ETR & Associates (outside evaluator) to assess satisfaction with services. In the most recent survey of all Wellness Centers, results support that, as a result of meeting with a RAMS Counselor, there has been improved psychological well-being & skills around managing school & home life.

How can counselors and school-based mental health professionals serve immigrant youth in culturally appropriate ways? Grounded in both theory and practice in the schools, this presentation focuses on immigration trends, acculturation, stressors, mental health, language needs, health care, and challenges in working with immigrant youth in schools. Through case scenarios and lessons learned by RAMS and Wellness Centers staff, this presentation outlines the practical counseling, and collaborative and community interventions that culturally competent school counselors and mental health professionals may want to consider when working with immigrant youth.

NAMI Listens

2010-11-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Kavoos G. Bassiri, LMFT, CGP, President & CEO of RAMS, was invited to participate in the most recent National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Listening Session, which was a gathering to help NAMI better understand issues affecting the AAPI community and draft recommendations to move forward. The objectives for this meeting was to
- Bring together Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders (consumers, family members and providers) to engage in an open dialogue with NAMI regarding mental health in this community
- Elicit feedback and recommendations for NAMI to successfully engage AAPI communities
- Identify existing resources and opportunities to improve mental health education and supports for AAPI communities

21 people from all over the US with a variety of experiences and perspectives (people living with mental illness, family members, providers, researchers, NAMI and non-NAMI members), were invited & attended this event on November 4th & 5th in Los Angeles.

This Listening Session was organized by the NAMI Multicultural Action Center and facilitated by Jei Africa, PsyD, MSCP, CATC.

Guest Post - Mia Veroy, Program Coordinator

2010-10-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

After months of deliberation, preparation and anticipation, RAMS is proud to unveil the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Course. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), this groundbreaking 12-week basic counseling program offers participants a targeted and thorough curriculum prepared by collaborators RAMS and San Francisco State University’s Department of Counseling.

In the months leading up to the first class, we received an overwhelming response and support not only from the San Francisco community, but from neighboring counties as well. Various community and business organizations have shown their support and enthusiasm for the program through a variety of ways: Philippine International Aid has generously donated scholarships to students and Straits Restaurant and Metromint have contributed food & beverages. The interest generated during the program’s promotions validates the great need and high demand for peer support in the community. One consumer aptly summarized peer support by saying, “this is the wave of the future”. It has been long coming, but the future is here.

Over 80 applications were received and the Admissions Committee faced the challenging task of selecting individuals for the 20 slots available. In an effort to stay true to the mission, the program is proud to report that there is a diverse group of students from various cultural backgrounds and experiences who represent the wide demographic of San Francisco’s population.

Six sessions into the program, we are awed by the level of enthusiasm, engagement, and commitment of everyone in class. In such a short time, we have witnessed friendships developed, support provided, and cultures shared. We have our work cut out for us and have a long way to go, but if the past few weeks, in any way, reflects the overall direction and future, it most certainly looks very bright!

- Mia

For a link to our webpage, click HERE

Photo credit: Jeezny on Flickr

Thank you Kristina Quinones!

2010-10-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

Abstract painter Kristina Quinones was instrumental in organizing a fundraiser event for RAMS last year in which her fellow studio artists donated pieces for auction, with all proceeds going to RAMS.

She currently has a showing titled “As Above, So Below” at Nieto Fine Art, 565 Sutter Street @ Mason Street, through October 29th. She is also one of the artists at SOMA Artists Studios participating in the upcoming Open Studios event on the weekend of October 16-17.

To see more of her work, please check out her website at www.kristinaq.com . You can also click on the picture to your left if you'd like to read the article which recently appeared in ArtSpan magazine.

We'd like to thank her for her continued support for our organization, and urge you to check out her shows!

Meet RAMS - Eddie Chiu, PhD

2010-09-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Dr. Eddie Chiu, Director of RAMS Asian Family Institute, was invited and presented at the 15th International Conference on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma, held in San Diego by the The Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT), an international resource and training center at Alliant International University.

The presentation, given on September 11, 2010, was titled "Addiction, Trauma, and a Developmental Process of Treatment and Recovery". Dr. Chiu presented on the topic of Gambling Addiction and Domestic Violence in Asian American Communities.

Click HERE to read coverage from Sing Tao USA newspaper in Chinese

Photo credit: Ravages on Flickr

Guest Post - Yuka Hachiuma, MFTi

2010-08-23T11:55:00.001-07:00

Today's guest post is from Yuka Hachiuma, MFTi, Mental Health Counselor at RAMS who also served as the Program Coordinator for the Summer Bridge program. Taking place from June 14 to August 6, Summer Bridge was an 8-week summer mentoring program for San Francisco high school students, designed "to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions".

******************************************************************

Oh, the places you'll go!

"Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to great places.
You're off and away. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go...."

-- Dr. Seuss, "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"

In the final week leading up to the end of Summer Bridge, when I stopped to reflect on the past weeks spent with the Summer Bridge participants, the opening lines of Dr. Seuss's classic children's book popped into my head. The book is about life and its challenges, but is also an optimistic encouragement to the reader to go out and conquer the world.

This story came to mind because the message is very applicable to the first group of Summer Bridge graduates. Many, if not most, of them have already experienced various challenges in their lives. These stories came out in the experiential activities we did and engaging discussions we had as we got to know each other throughout the program. The group worked together to create a safe, respectful space where everyone could be themselves while learning and having fun together. There were definitely times when opinions clashed and feelings were hurt. But, they managed to work through their differences and created deeper relationships as a result. What is most notable about this group is their resilience in the face of these challenges, and their desire to give back to their community in the future. This blend of life experience, psychological insightfulness, and community focus makes them very well-suited to pursue a career in the helping professions. My hope is that the Summer Bridge graduates will use this experience as a launching pad to learn more about themselves, pursue their interests, and create opportunities to make good choices for themselves in their lives.

Spending the summer with this group of amazing youth has been an inspiring experience for me, and it has renewed my passion and commitment to nurturing the next generation of mental health professionals. For that, I have them to thank.

-Yuka

Presenting aplenty at AAPA and APA

2010-08-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) 2010 Annual Convention, "Expanding Our Horizons: The Next Decade in AAPI Psychology", took place on August 11 at University of San Diego, California. RAMS was well-represented at this illustrious annual event, with presentations from:

Dr. Katherine Eng, Psychologist at the Adult/Older Adult Outpatient Clinic:
"The Future in the Field: Effective Techniques and Programs in the Clinical Training of API serving clinicians", a panel presentation together with Helen Hsu & Jennifer Lee. The symposium presented best practice techniques and programs in the training of clinicians to work effectively with Asian American Pacific Islander populations.

Ulash Dunlap, Behavioral Health Counselor at the Wellness Centers program:
"Post-partum Depression Among Asian and Asian American Women: Cultural Considerations and Treatment", a panel presentation together with Juli Fraga and Denise Kwok. This session explored ways that mental health providers can provide better screening, early intervention, and clinical support for Postpartum Depression (PPD) among Asian and Asian American women.
and
"Creative and Culturally Responsive Outreach with South Asian American Populations" – DoSAA-sponsored, a panel presentation together with Nima Patel, Anjuli Amin and Razia Kosi. Therapists facilitated a discussion focused on building bridges to South Asian (SA) communities through the use of outreach services.

Poster sessions were also featured at the convention, including a presentation from RAMS and Alliant International University-CSPP, represented by Drs. Eddie Chiu, Director of Asian Family Institute, and Tai Chang from CSPP: "Training Asian American psychologists for the real world: Integrating program evaluation and clinical training in a community mental health setting" Chiu, E. Y., Ph.D., Chang, T., Ph.D., Okubo, Y., Ph.D., Adams, L. A., MA., Bassiri, K. G., MS., Kwan, K., Ph.D., Shea, C., MS.

The American Psychological Association (APA) 2010 Annual Convention took place immediately following the AAPA, August 12-15. RAMS staff Ulash Dunlap, together with co-presenters Anjuli Amin and Daisy Singla, gave a talk titled "South Asian Women through Multiple Lens: Health, School, and Religion/Culture". In an attempt to understand and shed light on the various acculturative processes that South Asian women encounter in their daily life, this symposium addressed three important areas for counselors to consider: school, health, and religion.

Let's give a round of applause to our distinguished presenters!

Photo credit: seretuaccidente on Flickr

And the winner is...

2010-08-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

The RAMS Raffle fundraiser was a success!

The raffle drawing reception was held on August 12 at Vespa San Francisco, located at 1450 Franklin Street. Wine and light snacks were served, and attendees had the opportunity to admire the exotic & vintage car collection on the ground-level showroom. RAMS gratefully acknowledges Vespa San Francisco / Cars Dawydiak for hosting this reception, and Walter Dawydiak for his generous donation. Check out their website http://www.vespasf.com/.

The winning raffle tickets were drawn by Pete Surber, Sales & Operations Manager at VespaSF. The lucky winners are:

Hai-Yang Sun, Grand Prize of 2010 Vespa S50 Scooter

Ray Montella , 2nd place Prize of a night's stay at Hotel Vitale, and 2 tickets to Aquarium Of The Bay

Hoa Truong, 3rd place Prize of a Flip Ultra Video Camera and tripod

Kimya Rahnema, 4th place Prize of 2 show tickets to Yoshi's San Francisco

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to all of the raffle participants and ticket buyers for your enthusiasm and your support!

Raffle Drawing at VespaSF on Thursday August 12

2010-08-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

Less than one week to go until the Summer Scooter Sweepstakes contest draws to a close!

The raffle drawing reception shall be held at Vespa San Francisco, located at 1450 Franklin Street (between Fern St & Bush St), from 5:30-6:30pm. The actual raffle ticket drawing shall commence at 6:00pm sharp.

Winner names shall be drawn for four prizes:
- 4th prize: 2 show tickets to Yoshi's San Francisco
- 3rd prize: Flip Ultra Video camera
- 2nd prize: 1 night stay at Hotel Vitale and 2 tickets to Aquarium Of The Bay
and of course,
- Grand prize: A 2010 Vespa S50 Scooter

The prize winners do not need to be present to win, and will be notified on Friday August 13 if they are not at the reception in person.

For more details, check out our events page at www.ramsinc.org/events

Photo credit: carloalberto on Flickr

Celebrating Mental Health in Diverse Communities

2010-07-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Mental Health (NNED) offered a webinar to highlight minority mental health. This was a two-part series: One webinar was held on July 7, focusing on Latino & American Indian communities. The most recent was held on July 28, featuring Asian American, African American, and LGBTQ communities. These two webinars highlighted the ways communities across the country are celebrating minority mental health.

RAMS CEO Kavoos Bassiri, LMFT, CGP was one of the featured presenters at the July 28 webinar, together with DJ Ida, PhD, Executive Director of NAAPIMHA; Kathy Wright, Executive Director of the New Jersey Parents' Caucus; and Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW, Director of the Family Acceptance Project.

Click HERE for more information on the webinar, on NNED, their upcoming presentations & events, and how to join the network.

Walking on sunshine... and don't it feel GOOD!

2010-07-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

In the previous blog post, we introduced our Summer Bridge program for high school students. Yuka Hachiuma, MFTi, is the Program Coordinator for Summer Bridge as well as a Mental Health Counselor at our Child, Youth, & Family Outpatient Clinic program. Together with Yuka, and counselors Ken Lee, LCSW, and Cecilia Nepomuceno, PhD, RAMS is certainly keeping those students busy during the summer! Here's an update from Yuka about Summer Bridge:

"We received a great response of over 50 applicants--which was all through word of mouth! The 21 participants selected for Summer Bridge range in age from 15-19, come from all parts of the city, and reflect the diversity of the communities in San Francisco. We kicked off the program with a retreat, which featured a Ropes course at Fort Miley (check out the photos). Despite some initial grumbling, everyone had a great time pushing themselves past their comfort zone and getting to know each other in the process. It's hard to believe that we are already half way into the program! Time truly flies when you're having fun.

The participants in this pilot year of the program are a really focused, inquisitive group that is very open to learning and experiencing all we have to offer in the program. They have also repeatedly demonstrated their capacity to both challenge and support each other. We are really excited to be working with this amazing group of youth. It's even more exciting to think that they may go on to become our colleagues in the future. I am confident that they will be successful in whatever path they choose for themselves."

Quality time outdoors - what a great way to spend the summer!

Up high in the sky at the Ropes course

Thank you so much for the update and for sharing the pictures with us, Yuka!

It's the "good" kind of Summer School

2010-07-12T14:43:00.000-07:00

In keeping with RAMS commitment to community involvement, training, and “growing our own” mental health professionals, RAMS has started the Summer Bridge program, an eight-week summer mentoring program for people ages 16 to 20, currently enrolled in or recently graduated from SFUSD high schools. This summer program provides participating students with classroom learning, field trips to various providers and agencies, guest speakers, and networking opportunities with future schools and potential employers. The purpose of this program is to promote awareness of psychological well-being and foster interest in the helping professions (social worker, counselor, psychologist, therapist, etc.).

This program started on June 14, and will go through August 6, 2010. We are now halfway through the program, so far it’s been a blast!

Big smile for the Group Shot!

Click HERE to learn more about Summer Bridge. This program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

It's Official!

2010-07-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

In a previous blog post, we announced that a resolution was presented by Senator Leland Yee to propose that May 10 would be annually recognize statewide as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day. On July 6, 2010, this resolution was accepted and approved by the California Senate and Assembly and officially Chaptered into the California Legislature.

Click HERE to see the language of the resolution.

Posted at right is a Fact Sheet in support of this resolution, and a list of the various organizations which joined RAMS to advocate for this very important day of recognition. We at RAMS are honored to have played an instrumental role in this resolution, and are looking forward to working together with community members and leaders in recognizing and raising awareness about the importance of mental health in the Asian Pacific American community. So keep May 10 posted on your calendars!

Become a Peer Specialist in the Mental Health Field

2010-07-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. and San Francisco State University Department of Counseling are jointly developing and will be offering the Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate program starting in Fall 2010. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the primary goal of the Certificate program is to prepare consumers and/or family members with the basic skills & knowledge for entry-level employment in the behavioral health system of care and with academic/career planning that supports success in institutions of higher learning.

This first-of-its-kind certification course features interactive classes, job shadowing, and career assistance planning. As a student at SFSU, participants have access to the University’s Library, Computer Labs, Student Health Services, Disability Programs and Resource Center, and Counseling and Psychological Services Center, and Childcare Center as well as the College of Health & Human Services Student Resource Center.

This course is being offered for FREE! Actually, it's better than free: All students who successfully complete the course will receive a $250 stipend. Additional scholarships are being offered to Filipino American students, through the Philippine International Aid.

An Open House shall be held on August 3 at San Francisco State University’s Downtown Campus (see the flyer, at left). Come and meet the Program Coordinator and instructors, ask questions about the course, and get help with the application. Classes are scheduled to start September 16.

Click HERE to learn more about this exciting program, and to download a brochure and the application for enrollment from our website http://www.ramsinc.org/. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION IS AUGUST 16, 2010.

For more information, please contact the Program Coordinator, Mia Veroy, at miaveroy@ramsinc.org or (415) 282-9675 ext 229.

An Update From Chloe Dao

2010-06-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Chloe Dao, Winner of Project Runway Season 2 and internationally-recognized designer, now has a blog! In her first post, she shared her thoughts about her visit to San Francisco as a featured guest panelist at the RAMS 35th Anniversary Gala Event "Changing Reality: Voices of Asian Pacific American TV Stars". Thanks, Chloe!

Click HERE to see her blog!

Save The Date - July 17, 2010

2010-06-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

In recognition of July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and the recent passage of the healthcare reform Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2010, the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) will host a Town Hall Meeting in San Jose, California in collaboration with RAMS, as well as the Santa Clara County Mental Health Department, Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), and California Reducing Disparities Project.

This is an opportunity to meet with Congressman Mike Honda and Assemblyman Mike Eng to address the impact of mental health of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities in California. As stated in NAAPIMHA's announcement about the event: "Mental health is an issue that is frequently ignored yet impacts every aspect of our lives and is itself impacted by our physical health, employment, education, housing and immigration status. We continue to see suicide among our students, depression in our elders, and post traumatic stress disorder among our refugee and immigrant populations and co-occuring substance use disorders, yet we face challenges in having adequate resources to meet our growing needs. Please join us for this important meeting and have your voices heard. Both Congressman Honda and Assemblyman Mike Eng are very supportive of mental health and want to hear what the community has to say as we develop a statewide and national agenda to improve the overall health and well being of our community."

Registration for townhall is free at http://www.naapimha.org/

Town Hall Meeting
San Jose Buddhist Temple
640 North 5th Street, San Jose, CA
July 17, 2010
8:30am – 4:00pm

Picture from Flickr by fenchurch!

Celebrating API Cultures

2010-06-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Together with RAMS and other API-focused service providers in the community, the Asian Pacific Islander Family Resource Network (APIFRN) held a Cultural Competency training on June 24, 2010 titled "Celebrating API Cultures". The aim of the workshop was to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the complexity of how culture of origin and immigration interface with family's priorities and needs. Panelists represented the Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, and Vietnamese cultures, and food selections from all ethnic groups were served for lunch.

This was the second time RAMS worked with APIFRN to put on this well-received training for commmunity providers; a similar training was previously done on April 8, 2010.

Advocacy at work

2010-06-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held a Budget Hearing on June 21, 2010 regarding the proposed cuts to the funding for social services programs in fiscal year 2010-2011. These budget cuts would significantly impact community-based organizations that provide vital services to some of the poorest and most vulnerable populations in the City. At the Public Hearing held at 4:00pm, RAMS joined many other service organizations to provide testimonials about the importance of continuing the funding for these essential social, medical, behavioral, and mental health services to the San Francisco community.

Waiting for hours in the hallway outside the chambers

Writing and rehearsing our words (each speaker has a 2-minute limit)

Finally inside the chambers after an entire afternoon in line

Testifying before the Board of Supervisors Budget & Finance Committee

Thank you to all of our community members and fellow service providers for taking the time out of their busy schedule to speak out about the importance of social services, and to advocate for the City's most needy and underserved residents.

The San Francisco Human Services Network (of which RAMS is a member) has a dedicated webpage with detailed information on the proposed FY2010-2011 budget and advocacy efforts of nonprofit human services organizations (click HERE to view their site).

RAMS Raffle & Summer Scooter Sweepstakes

2010-06-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that we are now holding the “RAMS Raffle & Summer Scooter Sweepstakes”!

Buy your tickets for a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE of a 2010 Vespa S50 Scooter, perfect for cruising around San Francisco during the warm late-summer weather! Enjoy the fresh sea air and the sights & sounds of summer as you ride around town on your new Vespa, never worrying about looking for parking spaces again! Donated by VespaSF / Cars Dawydiak, the Vespa S50 has a retail value of *$3,200, and the winner has the option of selecting from a range of classic Vespa colors. The winner also has the option of taking the $3,200 as credit, to apply to a larger Vespa scooter upgrade/purchase at the VespaSF shop.

*Vehicle tax and registration is not included in the prize value. The new owner of the Vespa shall be fully responsible for tax, registration, and all other vehicle fees as required by CA law.

The SECOND place prize is a package for a One Night Stay at the Hotel Vitale in a Deluxe City View King Room, and two tickets to the Aquarium Of The Bay at Pier 39. Spend a perfect summer day soaking up the sun at the beautiful San Francisco Embarcadero waterfront and checking out the marine life in San Francisco’s only waterfront aquarium, and end your excursion by relaxing at a luxury boutique hotel by the bay. This prize has a $452 value.

The THIRD place prize is a Flip Ultra video camera. This compact digital camcorder records up to 120 minutes (4 GB capacity), and comes complete with a fully-adjustable tripod. Its size makes it perfect to have on-hand to capture all of summer’s most memorable moments. This prize has a $160 value.

The FOURTH place prize is a gift certificate for a pair of tickets to Yoshi's Jazz Club in San Francisco. Yoshi’s is located in the historic Fillmore District near Japantown, a destination for music and food lovers alike. The gift certificate will be exchanged for pair of tickets of the winner’s choosing, with a value of up to $60 each ticket (a total value of $120).

RAMS is selling raffle tickets NOW until until August 12, 2010.
- Each ticket is $5.00.
- Or, buy six (6) tickets for $25.00.

Raffle Drawing:
The Raffle Drawing will be held on Thursday, August 12, 2010 at a reception in San Francisco. You need not be present to win. More details to come.

If winners are not present at the Raffle Drawing Reception, they will be notified by phone and email (based on the contact information provided at the time of ticket purchase). The winning names will also be posted on the website shortly after the drawing.

Raffle Rules & Regulations:
• Must be 18 years old to purchase raffle tickets
• Raffle ticket purchases are not tax-deductible, per federal law.

100% of all proceeds from the RAMS Raffle & Summer Scooter Sweepstakes shall benefit RAMS and its programs.

For more information, you may contact Katelynn Luong at katelynnluong@ramsinc.org or (415) 668-5955 ext. 315.

Meet RAMS - Eddie Chiu, PhD

2010-06-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

The National Council on Problem Gambling recognized the 2010 "Year's Best in the Problem Gambling Field" Award Winners at the 24th National Conference on Problem Gambling in Portland, OR on June 11th.

Eddie Chiu, PhD, Director of Asian Family Institute at RAMS, received the annual Treatment Award, which is given to recognize achievement in the direct provision of services to problem gamblers and their families. Dr. Chiu was recognized as a pioneer in developing and providing culturally-specific services for the Asian Pacific Islander community.

Click HERE to find out more information about the Problem Gambling services at RAMS AFI Clinic.

Click HERE to see an article in the Sacramento Bee, and HERE to see an article in Asian Week, about Problem Gambling in the API Communities.

Cultural Competency is our Specialty

2010-06-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

The Harm Reduction Therapy Center (HRTC) has been engaged by the Community Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) to deliver a series of trainings in San Francisco on the topic of Cultural Sensitivity.

Funded by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the project’s goal is to deliver 16 trainings in 2010-2011 aimed to improve the CBHS workforce’s understanding of the cultural & linguistic issues and needs that affect recovery and resil-iency, and improve access to mental health services, for the following ethnic and cultural groups: African Ameri-cans; Latinos/as; Asians and Pacific Islanders; Native Americans; Russians; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTQIQ) consumers; Transitional Age Youth; and Older Adults.

Due to our strengths as service providers with special focus in cultural competence with the A&PI and Russian-speaking communities, RAMS was tapped to provide two of these culturally-focused trainings: one focused on A&PI-Americans, and one focused on the Russian-speaking population.

The first training, "It Takes a Village: Culturally Sensitive and Community-Based Approaches in working with Asian & Pacific Islander Americans ", took place on May 20, 2010. Through didactic and case examples, presenters from RAMS provided an overview of cultural & clinical issues and current trends in working with the Asian & Pacific Islander community, including: Cultural Factors in Assessment; Culturally Adapting Psychotherapy; Domestic Violence; Problem Gambling; and working with Asian immigrant youth in school-based setting. Attendees were trained on how culture can affect the presentation of mental illness.

The second training, "Current Perspectives: Working with the Russian-speaking Community". was held on June 10, 2010. Through didactic and case examples, presenters from RAMS provide an overview of cultural & clinical issues and current trends in working with the Russian-speaking population, including: Nostalgia: Complex Reactions to Immigration; Psychiatric Care & Cultural Factors; Ethnocultural Factors in Substance Use/Abuse Counseling; and Wellness Practices. The Russian-speaking community constitute a significant & diverse racial group and it is critical that service providers have the under-standing of the cultural & clinical implications in serving this community. The Russian-speaking immigrants from the former Soviet Union often face challenges due to language & cultural differences and immigration issues, in obtaining behavioral health and social services.

With over 30 years of experience providing culturally competent services to the community, RAMS continues to play a key role in defining and implementing culturally competent mental health and integrated behavioral health services in San Francisco. The agency's philosophy of care reflect values that recovery & rehabilitation are more likely to occur where the mental health systems, services, and providers have and utilize knowledge and skills that are culturally competent and compatible with the backgrounds of consumers and their families and communities, at large.

Click HERE to read more about our Cultural Competence Philosophy and Practices.

Community talks in the Richmond District

2010-06-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar, who represents District 1 (includes the Richmond District where many RAMS programs are located), invited "local service providers, activists, residents, and homeowners" to hold a community discussion on May 20 about the upcoming budget cuts anticipted for the Fiscal Year 2010-2011. RAMS Chief Executive Officer Kavoos Bassiri, LMFT, CGP was one of the invited speakers at this meeting.

Coverage was provided by local newspaper The Richmond Review.

Click HERE for the article.

Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche

2010-06-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2010 was the 5th Annual Evelyn Lee Diversity and Cultural Competency Training, an annual event for all RAMS program staff (named in honor of the late Dr. Evelyn Lee, former Executive Director at RAMS).

This year, we had the honor of having esteemed author Ethan Watters as our featured presenter. His latest book is titled "Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche", which is described as revealing that the most devastating consequence of the spread of American culture has not been our golden arches or our bomb craters but our bulldozing of the human psyche itself: We are in the process of homogenizing the way the world goes mad. He is also a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Discover, Men's Journal, Spin, Details, and Wired. A frequent contributor to NPR, Watters' work appeared in the 2007 and 2008 Best American Science and Nature Writing. He co-founded the San Francisco Writers Grotto, a work space for local artists.

He was a featured guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Ethan Watters

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Click HERE for an essay written by Mr. Watters for the New York Times Magazine, titled "The Americanization of Mental Illness", which is also an excerpt from the book.

Joining him onstage was Kwong-Liem Karl Kwan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, SF State University, Dept. of Counseling, and formerly a tenured faculty in the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue University (1996-2005) and University of Missouri at Columbia (2005-2008). His research focuses on the development and assessment of counseling constructs specific to Asians and Asian Americans. Dr. Kwan is past program co-chair and conference co-chair of Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) annual conferences. Serving as the event Discussant was Alvin N. Alvarez, Ph.D., Professor, SF State University, Dept. of Counseling; Member of the RAMS Board of Directors; Past President, Asian American Psychological Association; and Co-Editor of Asian American Psychology: Current Perspectives, the first textbook written to welcome those who are new to Asian American psychology, and includes contributors from the leading experts and emerging scholars and practitioners in the field.

UPDATE:
Here's a video of Ethan Watters as a guest on The Agenda with Steve Paikin. He is joined by Dr. Salman Akhtar, who was a featured speaker at an event presented by RAMS this past November 2009.

Slideshow from Soleil Portraits

2010-06-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Yana Rudakov of Soleil Portraits put together a slideshow of the RAMS Changing Reality event on May 12.

Click HERE to view her slideshow.

Click HERE to view her blog entry about the event.

Thank you, Yana!

When Reality Looks Like Me - Hyphen Magazine

2010-05-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Hyphen Magazine blogger Joy Tang wrote a recap of the RAMS Changing Reality event for the online magazine.

"And as I was sitting in the back of the room, stirring the ice in my water, something started happening. I started feeling stuff. And I think it was hope? I think it was something like hope."

Click HERE to read "When Reality Looks Like Me: RAMS 35th Anniversary Gala Review".

Changing Reality

2010-05-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

Left to right: Senator Leland Yee, Victor Jih & Tammy Jih, Hung Huynh, Chloe Dao, Pamela Ling

The night was a success! We are grateful to the Hotel Kabuki for hosting the event, and to our event contributors DJ Pauly Paul, Echoes of the Dragon Chinese Drum Ensemble, Frank Jang Photography, Gobba Gobba Hey, Mariluz Design, and Soleil Portraits, for donating their time and services, and especially to our featured guests and all of our donors & supporters who made this event a night to remember.

Can you tell we're excited?

2010-05-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Here is our official press release announcing Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day:

Resolution Declaring May 10th as “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day”

SAN FRANCISCO – Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is pleased to be the lead in spearheading the effort to establish May 10th as “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day”, in recognition of the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community. The month of May is already established as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month; thus, establishing this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts.

Starting in the year of 2010 and each year thereafter, the City & County of San Francisco shall recognize May 10th as “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day”, as it was introduced by San Francisco Board of Supervisor (District 1) Eric Mar and supported by the full Board. California State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. introduced the resolution as SCR 97 at the State Senate and May 10th Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day is to be official in the State of California.

This resolution has been overwhelmingly supported by many major associations, such as American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, Council of National Psychological Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests, California Marriage & Family Therapy Association, Northern California Psychiatric Society, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, and National Latina/o Psychological Association.

There is a significant need for enhancing awareness of mental illness in the Asian Pacific American community. Approximately 25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Through the combination of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments and support, 70% to 90% of individuals with mental health issues have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life. Furthermore, Asian Pacific American (APA) communities are among the fastest growing and most diverse racial group in the United States though APA’s use mental health services at the lowest rate among ethnic populations. As such, there is a critical need to raise awareness about mental health within the APA community to de-stigmatize seeking help and enhance access to culturally competent community services.

“In establishing this reoccurring day, RAMS plans to launch Northern and Southern California Taskforces which would be the platform in order to formally collaborate on efforts,” says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President & CEO of RAMS, “As a community of Californians and Asian Pacific Americans, together, the groups will identify best practices and strategies on outreach & promotion as well as discuss pertinent issues relating to mental health, culturally competent healthcare practices, and the community-at-large.”

Founded in 1974, RAMS is a non-profit agency providing comprehensive, culturally competent services that aim to meet the behavioral health, social, vocational, and educational needs of the diverse San Francisco Area with special focus on the Asian & Pacific Islander American and Russian-speaking communities. Each year, RAMS serves over 15,000 adults, children, youth, and families, in over 30 languages in over 75 sites, citywide.

Happy Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day!

2010-05-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

Over a year in the making, after months and months of work by RAMS CEO, Kavoos G. Bassiri, we are thrilled to announce that today, May 10, is the first annual Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, to be observed and celebrated locally in San Francsico and statewide in California!

Presented and supported by District 1 Supervisor Eric Mar, a long-time supporter of RAMS, this resolution was voted on & passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on April 20, 2010.

Today, this resolution is being presented by Senator Leland Yee to the California Assembly, in order for Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day to be recognized statewide.

As presented by Senator Yee :

SCR 97 (Yee)
Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day.
This measure would recognize May 10, 2010, and each May 10 thereafter, as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, and acknowledge the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community.

WHEREAS,
The Asian Pacific American community is among the fastest growing and most diverse racial groups in the United States. Asian Pacific Americans have made remarkable economic, political, and social contributions, and are the majority in eight California cities and the second largest group in four California counties; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 25 percent of Americans experience and are diagnosed with a mental health condition in a given year, impacting all communities regardless of race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, and gender; and
WHEREAS, There is a critical need to raise awareness about and advocate for health care policies that increase the accessibility of mental health care services; and
WHEREAS, In this country there is a critical need to raise awareness about mental health, particularly within the Asian Pacific American community, to destigmatize seeking help, and to gain access to culturally competent community services; and
WHEREAS, Asian Pacific Americans use mental health services at the lowest rates among ethnic populations. This may be due to the substantial stigma that exists among Asian Pacific Americans, as well as cultural and linguistic isolation of the community, family, and individual; and
WHEREAS, There is an extreme lack of research regarding Asian Pacific Americans and mental health issues. A combination of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments and supports prove to be highly effective with 70 percent to 90 percent, inclusive, of individuals with mental health issues having significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community encourages professional interest in health and human services careers, fostering a diversified workforce that reflects the community;
now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes May 10, 2010, and each May 10 thereafter, as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, and acknowledges the importance of raising awareness about mental health in
the Asian Pacific American community; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

Video of the hearing and presentation can be found by clicking HERE. The pertinent portion of the hearing starts at 3:40.
Thank you to all of our supporters who made this all possible!

One week... and counting!

2010-05-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Less than one week until The Big Event!Register now if you haven't already! Go to www.ramsinc.org/events for more details!

Thanks, Hyphen!

2010-05-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

Big shout out to Hyphen Magazine for featuring our upcoming fundraiser gala event on their website!

What it means to be a Vietnamese American Chef

2010-05-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

Top Chef Hung Huynh, a featured guest at RAMS upcoming anniversary event, on the role and responsibility of being an Asian American & Vietnamese American Chef:

Video from The Asia Society (see other interviews and clips on their YouTube page here)

Roundup - May 2010 Upcoming Events

2010-05-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

May 7: Senator Leland Yee, RAMS Chief Executive Officer Kavoos G. Bassiri, and representatives of RAMS and other API & mental health organizations shall hold a press conference regarding the proposed statewide Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10. This annual day of recognition was spearheaded by RAMS, and made possible with the widespread community and political support, including the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
(For more details on the citywide day, see May 10 below).

May 8: The 6th Annual Richmond District Health Festival shall be held from 10am – 2pm at the Richmond Recreation Center, 251 18th Avenue. This festival was sponsored by RAMS, along with Compassionate Community Care, Kaiser Permanente, and Self-Help for the Elderly as well as Senator Leland Y. Yee and Supervisor Eric Mar.

This festival will feature live performances from Chinese Lion Dancers, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and speeches by Senator Yee and Supervisor Mar. There will be over 40 community health organizations, children’s activities and free clinical services including bone density testing, dental check ups, Hepatitis B screening, spinal screening, medication review and much more. This event is completely free of charge to the public. Come enjoy a day of fun and valuable knowledge on your health and well-being. For more information, contact Susan Chan at 557-7857 or susan.chan@sen.ca.gov
Click HERE for a write-up from the Richmond Blog.

May 10: Today is Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day in San Francisco! This proposal of RAMS and Supervisor Eric Mar was introduced, and the resolution approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, on April 20, 2010.

May 12: RAMS 35th Anniversary Fundraiser Gala, aka "Changing Reality: The Voices of Asian American TV Stars". This will be held at the Hotel Kabuki on Wednesday May 12, reception at 5:30pm and program at 7:00pm.

May 22: Join RAMS at the 6th annual NAMIWalk SF Bay Area! NAMIWalk is a fundraising and awareness-raising 5K walk that will take place in 80 communities across the country in 2010. The San Francisco walk will take place from 9:00am-11:00am at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park. Check out their site at www.namiwalksfbay.org for more details.

Meet RAMS - Christina Shea, LMFT

2010-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Christina Shea, RAMS Deputy Chief & Director of Clinical Services, was an invited speaker at the “International Spring Symposium: Immigration Trauma, Stress and Loss, and its Impact on Children and Families” as a community expert in the Asian immigrant experience.

This was held on April 28, 2010 in San Francisco, organized by the Child Trauma Training Institute.

Image Credit: "Prepararsi" by Alessandro Pinna

Five Stars!

2010-04-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that Tammy Jih has just been added to the roster of celebrity guest panelists to our fundraiser gala "Changing Reality: The Voices of Asian American TV Stars". Tammy shall be joining her big brother Victor Jih - who together with Tammy had won the most recent season of Amazing Race - as well as MTV's The Real World San Francisco alumni Dr. Pamela Ling, Project Runway winner Chloe Dao, and Top Chef winner Hung Huynh, on our stage on May 12.

Here is a look at their reflections on their experience with the China leg of their race.

One month... and counting down!

2010-04-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

We are excitedly preparing for our upcoming Fundraiser Gala and Celebrity Forum, which is exactly one month away on May 12!

This event will feature a talk with four Asian-American Reality TV stars: Chloe Dao, Hung Huynh, and Victor Jih, whose triumphs on their respective shows Project Runway, Top Chef, and Amazing Race were considered a winning representation of Asian America, and Dr. Pamela Ling, who broke ground as one of the first Asian American faces on mainstream television when she appeared on the 3rd season of MTV's The Real World. We will be speaking with our guests about their reasons for being on their shows, how their ethnic and cultural identities may have shaped their experiences, and their thoughts on API representation in the media and society, as well as the impact that their participation and subsequent accomplishments have had on the way mainstream media perceives and portrays Asian Americans today.

This event will be the first of its kind, and we are thrilled to be presenting this to you. We are also deeply honored that California State Senator Leland Yee shall be participating as our Moderator for the celebrity forum.

Meanwhile, our staff are have been diligently meeting and talking with various members of the San Francisco community, in hopes of securing donations and sponsorships, as well as ticket sales for our much-anticipated event. This event is a fundraiser, and financial contributions from our supporters will help RAMS continue providing much-needed mental health services to the Asian American community, and the San Francisco Bay Area as a whole.

For more information about our event, and to buy tickets, please visit our events page at http://ramsinc.org/events/

Meet RAMS - Brooke Miller, MFTi

2010-04-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Brooke Miller, MFTi, who is a Behavioral Health Counselor in the school-based Wellness Centers Program, recently published her piece “The Thing About The InBetween” in the CAMFT April 2010 newsletter. She also presented a workshop titled “Language of Body Image: Working With Women & Girls From Inside Out In Culturally Diverse San Francisco” at CBHS 1380 Howard on March 9, organized by the San Francisco Mental Health Board and GABHS (Gender Appropriate Behavioral Health Services) For Gals.

Brooke is also the intrepid blogger behind http://www.soapboxtherapy.com/. Go check it out!

The Wellness Centers Program is funded by the San Francisco Wellness Centers Initiative, which provides on-site medical/mental health & substance abuse counseling services & community resources to youth at San Francisco high schools & middle schools.

Meet RAMS - Ulash Dunlap, MFTi

2010-03-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

Ulash Dunlap, MFTi, a RAMS Behavioral Health Counselor at the Wellness Centers Program, presented two programs – “Lessons Learned in Urban Schools: Conducting Groups With Latino and Asian Youth” on March 20, “Fearing the Knock of La Migra: Counseling Latino Immigrant Children in Schools” on March 21 – at the American Counselor Association Conference in Pittsburgh, PA.

Ulash shall also be presenting at the upcoming American Psychology Association conference in August, on “South Asian Women Through Multiple Lens: Health, School, and Religion/Culture”, and will be collaborating with RAMS staff on another proposal to present at the conference.

RAMS at Suwon International Mental Health Symposium

2010-03-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

On behalf of RAMS, Chief Executive Officer Kavoos G. Bassiri was an invited speaker at the 2nd Suwon International Mental Health Symposium (titled “Communication and Solidarity in Mental Health), hosted by Ajou University Institute of Mental Health & Mental Health Network in Suwon and sponsored by Suwon government, Korea. This took place on March 18-20, 2010, in Suwon, South Korea.

The mental health services now being offered in South Korea were influenced by previous visits made by South Korean officials to RAMS in 2005-2007. It was impressive to see the advances being made in the types of public health programs offered in South Korea, knowing that they were influenced by what was being developed and offered at RAMS.

RAMS at the 2010 SFIAAFF

2010-03-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

RAMS sponsored two feature presentations at the 28th Annual San Francisco International Asian American FIlm Festival, which took place from March 11-21. The films - "In The Matter of Cha Jung Hee" on March 12, and the "FutureStates" series on March 17 - were presented to the audience on behalf of RAMS by Dr. Ravi Chandra, Medical Director of the RAMS Adult Outpatient Clinic.

Photo credit: Matthew Lim, CAAM SFIAAFF2010 Flickr Set

Dr. Chandra also interviewed "Cha Jung Hee" filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem for the SFIAAFF blog "Memoirs Of A Superfan", which can be read by clicking HERE.

US Census kick-off event at RAMS Hire-Ability

2010-02-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

US Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, joined by Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting, held a press conference on the US Census 2010 at the RAMS Hire-Ability Vocational Services program site at 1234 Indiana Street. RAMS President & CEO Kavoos G. Bassiri was present, along with RAMS Board Member the Honorable Judge Lillian Sing. This event was covered by KCBS, Sing Tao, World Journal, The Post News, The San Francisco Sentinel, as well as the Mayor's and the US Secretary of Commerce's website.

Photo credit: US Census Bureau, Public Information Office

Click HERE to see more pictures from photographers Yana Rudakov and Sergio Valle of Soleil Portraits.

RAMS CEO Kavoos Bassiri addresses the crowd at Secretary Locke's Census 2010 press conference, held at the RAMS Hire-Ability program site

Left to Right: Director of RAMS Vocational Services Hasian Sinaga, RAMS Deputy Chief / Director of Clinical Services Christina Shea, US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, RAMS President & CEO Kavoos G. Bassiri, RAMS Operations Manager Angela Tang