New York, NY (September 10, 2024) – Committee of 100, a nonprofit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, issued the following statement today revisiting its past recommendations for elected officials and the healthcare industry to address the growing concern of mental health in the Chinese American community.
The call comes on the 21st anniversary of World Suicide Awareness Day, first observed on September 10, 2003 and created by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the Committee of 100 – Columbia University “State of Chinese Americans” survey announced last year, nearly one in four (24%) Chinese American respondents stated they were at moderate or severe risk when asked about their psychological distress, including feeling worthless, depressed, hopeless, restless, nervous, or that everything was an effort. Nearly of quarter (24%) of the surveyed population reported either fair or poor physical or mental health, or having one or more types of disability.
That data correlates directly to the Chinese American population having been victimized in recent years by an onslaught of policies, programs and propaganda that has made life difficult. From the failed China Initiative program which singled out respected researchers and scientists of Asian descent; to the growing push for alien land laws which prevent those of Chinese descent from owning property; to Covid-19 and the racist and xenophobic tropes that many falsely uttered putting Chinese and Asian Americans squarely in the area of violent attacks.
Surveying data around mental health will be one of the key issues that will discussed in Year 2 of the State of Chinese Americans survey in a free webinar on September 25 through a national unveiling launch event. The research was co-developed with NORC at the University of Chicago.
By promoting awareness of mental health issues, employers large and small can show they care about the holistic well-being of all employees. This can foster a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable discussing mental health concerns and seeking help.
From the Committee of 100-Columbia University survey last year, the two organizations recommended to help with mental health in the Chinese American community: provide public assistance and health care services in various languages and dialects to support Chinese Americans with limited English proficiency to receive the economic support and medical services they need; and raise visibility and facilitate discussions of disadvantages and hardships among the Chinese American community to improve awareness and dismantle model minority stereotypes.
AAPI Resources: the following resources may be of assistance on mental health questions:
- Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities
https://www.mhacc-usa.org
(materials available in Mandarin)
https://emmresourcecenter.org/resources/outreach-materials-chinese-community-report-handout-print-ads-poster-and-brochure
- Asian American Suicide Prevention & Education
(phone numbers for Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Fujianese are offered)
https://aaspe.net
Asian Mental Health Collective
https://www.asianmhc.org/
About Committee of 100
Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy. For over 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as a preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org.
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Contacts:
Charles Zinkowski
Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications
czinkowski@committee100.org
Sam Jones
PR & Social Media Manager
sjones@committee100.org
