SALLY:IN THE MIDST OF THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC, FOR MANY,
THE FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH HAS
BECOME A PRIORITY.
VINCE COBALIS, MEMBER, ASIAN
AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE
ADVISORY COMMISSION:
CULTURALLY IT IS A BIG TABOO
AND THERE IS EVEN IN SOME
LANGUAGES NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE
MENTAL
HEALTH.AND FOR SOME, THER'S
A STIGMA.THE AUSTIN CITY
COUNCIL APPROVED A GRANT TO
HELP ONE COMMUNITY GET THE
SUPPORT THEY NEED.CANDY
RODRIGUEZ EXPLAINS HOW.
CANDY:THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN
UNIVERSAL HEALTH CLINIC WILL
GET 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO
USE OVER THE NEXT 13-MONTHSTHE
MONEY WILL PROVIDE MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES SPECIFICALLY
FOR THE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY WHICH COMMUNITY
LEADERS SAY THER'S A NEED.
VINCE COBALIS, MEMBER, ASIAN
AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE
ADVISORY COMMISSION: PEOPLE
DONâ(tm)T RECOGNIZE THAT THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT CAN ACTUALLY
BE TREATED -- PEOPLE JUST SAY
THATâ(tm)S THE WAY THEY ARE.
WHILE THE ASIAN PACIFIC
ISLANDER COMMUNITY IN TRAVIS
COUNTY ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT
8 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE
ADVISORY COMMISSION MEMBER
VINCE COBALIS SAYS THE
PERCENTAGE OF THOSE
EXPERIENCING A BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ISSUE IS HIGH,THE
LATEST DATA FROM AN ASIAN
AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE
REPORT SHOWS 44 PERCENT OF THE
COMMUNITY FACE MENTAL
DISTRESS. THA'S MORE THAN
DOUBLE THE PERCENTAGE OF U-S
ADULTS NATIONWIDEAND COVID-19
MAY BE MAKING THE PROBLEM
WORSE.VINCE COBALIS, MEMBER,
ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE
ADVISORY COMMISSION: RIGHT
NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF RACISM
GOING ON WITH THE LABELING OF
COVID-19 AS THE CHINA VIRUS.
DESPITE THE HIGH LEVELS OF
STRESS, THE REPORT FOUND THE
USE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
IS RELATIVELY LOW.AND STATES
MANY OF THOSE WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY RELY ON RELIGIOUS
LEADERS OR THEIR FAMILY DOCTOR
FOR MENTAL SUPPORT.SOMETHING
THOSE AT THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN
UNIVERSAL HEALTH CLINIC --
WHICH SERVES A BIG PART OF
AUSTI'S ASIAN COMMUNITY --
EXPERIENCE
FIRSTHAND.DR. SANJNA MALPANI,
NORTHWEST AUSTIN UNIVERSAL
HEALTH CLINIC: ITâ(tm)S REALLY
A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT
YOUâ(tm)RE DEALING WITH, WHY
DID YOU GO TO THE DOCTORS
OFFICE WHEN REFERRED... SO IT
TURNS INTO SORT OF A
THERAPEUTIC/ALMOST, I CALL IT,
NON-TRADITIONAL COUNSELING.THE
CLINIC WILL USE THE MONEY TO
HIRE A SOCIAL INSTRUCTOR AND
EXPANDED BETTER SERVE THOSE IN
NEED OF
SALLY:THE GRANT FOR NORTHWEST
AUSTIN UNIVERSAL HEALTH CLINIC
ALLOWS FOR TWO 12-MONTH
EXTENSION OPTIONS OF UP TO
$100,000 PER EXTENSION.YOUNG
WOMENâ(tm)S CHRISTIAN
