About

Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are one of the fastest-growing communities in the Greater Boston area and account for about 10% of the total population. A significant proportion of the AAPI population are first- and second-generation immigrants, who have suffered various types of traumas before and after migration. However, mental health needs among AAAIs have been under-reported and under-treated due to assessment biases, cultural stigma, and a lack of culturally responsive services and systems of care. In addition, Asian Americans in Boston are almost 3 times more likely to live in poverty than their Caucasian counterparts and more likely to live in households with limited English language capacity (e.g., 32% Vietnamese and 30% Chinese families), making it both financially and linguistically difficult for them to access quality care. 

The current workshop will invite mental health service providers, researchers, community-based organizations, and AAAI community members to discuss trends and insights for trauma-informed care and prevention for AAAIs in the Greater Boston area. Building on the Lotus Project’s past experience of hosting five workshops on trauma-informed care for AAAI children and families (e.g., Afghan communities in Sacramento, AAAI communities in the San Francisco Bay area and metropolitan Washington DC area, and AANHPI communities in Honolulu), we will center AAAI children and women to address age-specific mental health challenges among youth and the unique mental health concerns experienced by AAAI women and other subgroups. This workshop also aims to cultivate collaborations among local AAAI-focused agencies and mental health professionals and to foster advocacy efforts to create more resources and opportunities for trauma-informed care and prevention for this population.