Summer 2000
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Volume V, Number 4 Summer 2000
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Inside This Issue!
An Open Letter From the Heart . . .
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Biracial Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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The 22 nd North America Vietnamese Games .... . . . . .
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Spotlight on Excellence . . . . . . . . .
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FAQ About the Aging (Series II) Questions . .
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Cultural Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Anti-Bias Facilitator . .
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The Importance of ADA and Self-Identification
Cultural Competency's One Year
Anniversary
Continued on p. 7
Continued on p. 7
A broad range of laws and regulations
protect the rights of people with disabilities.
The American's Disability Act (ADA),
of 1990 was developed to give rights to per-sons
with disabilities that are similar to
those provided to individuals on the basis
of race, sex, religion and national origin.
Title I of the ADA focuses on employment
and Title II focuses on access to public ser-vices.
Yet, it is interesting to note that many
who suffer from and live with a number of
physical and mental disabilities shy away
from self-identifying such disabilities to
their employers for a number of reasons.
Myra Kanter knows all too well the fears
of self-identifying as a consumer of mental
health services. Myra, a registered nurse
since 1979, did not discuss her Major Depressive
Disorder with the County of Orange
when she first applied in 1995 as a
mental health nurse. "I wanted to get the
job on my own", she states, "no special treatment.
I suffered for years with bouts of
Depression, and I had a family history of
mental illness. Then, while I was working
on my master's degree in Nursing, I became
severely depressed. My parents, not under-standing
that mental illness was the underlying cause of my bazaar behaviors, threw me
out." Myra traveled from Pennsylvania to
California, where she lived in her car for six
months before she ever received treatment.
Myra was diagnosed and began treatment,
and worked in a number of private, acute
facilities for persons suffering from mental
illnesses. Then she applied to the County.
"It has been a very positive experience working
for the County. I enjoyed being an out-patient
care coordinator more than working
in an acute care setting. I got to know the
consumers on my caseload as people – all
the various dimensions of their lives — and
I got to help them put it all back together."
Myra has worked on psychiatric units in
outpatient clinics and administration. Eventually,
she became more and more proactive
because of her own personal experiences,
and ended up in the Patient's Rights
Office of the County of Orange, as a
Patient's Rights Advocate. "I ensure the
rights of Orange County consumers".
"A lot of people see ADA as giving us an
unfair advantage". But the law itself is very
clear. It protects qualified persons with disabilities
from discrimination in hiring and It's been one year since Cultural Competency
has been around as a program for Behavioral
Health Services. We held an open
house on April 6 th to celebrate this occasion
which was met with a great deal of enthusiasm.
We would like to thank everyone who
joined us for this celebration and shared in
our festivities. The open house welcomed
visitors to familiarize themselves with the
offices, resources and the staff of Cultural
Competency. People toured the Cultural
Competency library and were acquainted to
the work that Cultural Competency per-forms
for Behavioral Health Services. Our
guests were treated to refreshments and a
variety of foods from around the world. The
festive atmosphere featured cultural music
that was played simultaneously in the different
offices and food stations. Ronnie
Kelley, Service Chief for Cultural Competency,
displayed a "cultural living museum"
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Volume V, Number 4 Summer 2000
I appreciate the opportunity to share my
ideas or observations regarding the Cultural
Competency office. As a member of the Orange
County Mental Health Advisory
Board, I have become acquainted with
Ronnie Kelley and Dr. Rafael Canul. They
make me aware of the many issues involved
when people are dealing with mental illness
and people from other cultures. As
the mother of a young woman who was diagnosed
with schizophrenia eight years ago,
at the age of fifteen, I can remember those
first months and years of fear and sadness.
The kind professionals who worked with us,
and still do, were instrumental to our ability
to cope as a family, to understand our
daughter and the issues with which she was
dealing. We were made aware that we are
Maura's family, not her therapists. But at
times, it helps so much to have an insight
into the best reaction to a situation, a true
but non-confronting way to put things,
words to use. It is more important for me
to zero in on what she is feeling about her
conversation than the exact words.
I was born and raised in California but
my dad was a first generation American
whose parents were born in the Basque
country of Viscaya, Spain. I feel a kinship
to the Hispanic community but through
teaching, I've learned much about others-particularly
the Asians and Pacific Islander
people. I think the most important thing is
to remember that while there are many cultural
differences, families are made every-where
of enduring, passionate love.
Having bright, informed people to help
us is so important. The pain I felt hearing
my daughter cry for her dad and me all the
way down the hall to the hospital elevator -is
the same intense pain felt by other moms
who have been through that same long walk.
And as we do get through it and many other
walks down other corridors with the help
of loving, wise professionals. They make
all of us aware of the subtle ways in which
we misinterpret each other.
Editorial Spotlight
"An Open Letter from the Heart" Through the efforts of the
Cultural Competency office, we can all concentrate on the big
issues of living life as well as possible with all of its wonders and flaws. Best
wishes to all of you.
Paula A Fitzgerald Fountain Valley
Member
O. C. Mental Health Advisory Board
NAMI -OC,
Board of Directors
I think the most important thing is to
remember
that while there are many cultural differences, families
are made everywhere of enduring, passionate
love.
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Volume V, Number 2 Summer 2000
I remember when I was 5 years old, wondering
why other kids at school didn't always
understand the words I used, or made
fun of the food I brought for lunch. I re-member
vividly attempting to seek out
friends who resembled me, and being unable
to find any. I remember, and often times
still experience, feelings of being unsettled
and even lost. I self identify as biracial. I
am the child of an Irish American man and
a Filipino woman.. Hindsight being 20/ 20,
childhood had definite obstacles for me that
were different than the other kids in my
neighborhood. Although many children are
the product of multi-cultural unions (the
"Heinz-57's", if you will, a blending of
German and Russian paternity with Irish
and Scottish maternity), being biracial is
more specific; a person who by virtue of
their biological parents' racial identities are
of two distinctly different racial back-grounds
(Gibbs, 1989). It has been estimated
that there are at least 1,161,000 interracial
married couples and 1 million biracial per-sons
in the U. S. (US Census ,1990). There-fore,
the issues of raising biracial kids to-day
needs much more scrutiny than it currently
gets.
"I was more concerned about having
children
that wouldn't be accepted by either race
than I was about being in an interracial
marriage", states Marcie, a Caucasian
woman married to an African American
man.
The interesting thing to note is that
biracial
children have unique stressors. One in
particular is that one of a biracial child's
cultures is usually more valued by society
than the other. Biracial children must learn
how to bridge both the majority and minority
cultures and they must do this on their
own,. Their parents have not had to con-tend
with such issues. Many biracial children
feel pressure from society to "choose"
one culture over the other, which can cause
both crisis and alienation.
The Biracial Experience PROVIDING SUPPORT TO
PARENTS OF BIRACIAL CHILDREN There are a number of key elements to
remember when dealing with a biracial
child. Biracial identity, as with self-identity
is guided and enriched by families that
are intact and that can openly communicate.
Other factors include:
Living in integrated neighborhoods:
this allows biracial children to have the
opportunity to see and interact with other
cultures and increases the probability that
they will also find other biracial playmates.
Attending integrated schools:
this allows more of an opportunity to see
other children who may resemble them-selves,
or parts of themselves.
Exposure to both racial heritages:
there is no need to choose one over the
other. Children need to know who they
are; the rich history of all their people.
This type of pride in self acts as a
protectant for the soul, improves self esteem
and can insulate the child from
harmful influences, such as drug use, etc..
Experiencing a range of ethnic activities
and role models:
this doesn't mean that biracial Asian and
Caucasian kids should only attend cultural
events that pertain to their own heritage.
Certainly exposure to one's own
heritage in the form of a culture event is
important but exposure to all types of cultures
demonstrates an openness and acceptance
of diversity.
Other kids at school didn't always
under-stand
the words I used, or made fun of
the food I brought for lunch… "
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Volume V, Number 2 Summer 2000
For the very first time since its inception
in 1971, the North America Vietnamese
(NAV) Summer Games will be held here
in Orange County. This four-day event,
which begins on July 1 st and ends on July
4 th , will give individuals of Vietnamese
descent an opportunity to compete in a variety
of sporting events; including soccer,
basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, badminton,
swimming, track and field, ping-pong
and racquetball.
The first NAV Summer Game was held
in Montreal, Canada in 1971. Since then,
other major cities throughout the United
States and Canada have hosted this event,
with increasing participation and attendance
by each year. This year's Games will
undoubtedly bring in more participants and
spectators than any of the previous 21
Games, as Orange County is home to over
300,000 Vietnamese-Americans.
According to Hoa Bao, President of
Southeast Asia Sports (a non-profit organization
in California responsible for organizing
this year's Games), the purpose of
the NAV Summer Games is to encourage
and to inspire Vietnamese traditions and
values through athletic competitions for
people of all ages. The organizers expect
that between 1,000-1,500 men, women and
children will compete this year. A special
addition to this year's Games will be the
one-mile walk for adults over the age of 55
and for children under the age of 12. The
idea behind this event is to involve older
Vietnamese adults and children from the
community who may otherwise be excluded
from these types of cultural activities. In
the one-mile walk, participants can walk
alone or in a team. The organizers hope
that the team walk will offer an opportunity
for grandparents and grandchildren (or
any older adult and child) to bond through
this joint experience. As in the other sport-
The 22 nd North America Vietnamese Games, events, there is a $7.00 registration fee
for the one-mile walk. All participants in
this event will receive an award for completing
the walk.
Mr. Bao states that Dat Nguyen of the
Dallas Cowboys, the first Vietnamese-American
professional football player, is
scheduled to make a special appearance this
year. In addition, famous Vietnamese singer
and song-writer, Trinh Nam Son, is writing
a theme song for the event. A special
concert, which includes music and a traditional
fashion show will be held at California
State University, Fullerton on the second
night of the event. A list of famous
Vietnamese singers, including Nhu Quynh,
is scheduled to be there to entertain the
crowd.
As Vietnamese-Americans are generally
known for our academic and business abilities,
and not for our athletic abilities, this
event will give the community an opportunity
to see how diverse, multi-talented, and
acculturated we are as an ethnic group. This
event, hopefully, will also inspire young
Vietnamese-Americans to get involved in sports and to be proud of their
heritage.
By Dana Nguyen, M. A.
A list of famous Vietnamese singers, including
Nhu Quynh, is scheduled to be [at
California State University, Fullerton] to entertain
the crowd.
For more information about the 22 nd
North Vietnamese Games, you can go to
www. Southeastasiasports. com or call
Dana Nguyen at (714) 796-0193.
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Volume V, Number 2 Summer 2000
Example of dedication to Cultural
Competency:
Do you work with someone who exemplifies Cultural
Competency?
Someone who is both sensitive and respectful to per-sons
of all cultures, whether colleague or consumer? If so, the
Cultural Competency Department would like to formally ac-knowledge
these individuals.
Please fill out the necessary information and pony it back to
us and we'll make sure this employee or consumer gets acknowledged
in our next newsletter. Our pony address is 38-P.
Thank you.
- Name:
- Work address:
- Pony address:
-
Discipline:
-
Why you believe he/ she is Culturally Competent:
-
Example of dedication to Cultural
Competency:
Spotlight on Excellence
Congratulations to Kim Nguyen Phan, Ph. D., For Achieving Cultural
Competency Excellence!
Dr. Phan is a bilingual clinical psychologist
for Children & Youth Services (CYS)
in West Region since 1998. She is also an
adjunct professor at the University of California,
Irvine and the United States Inter-national
University (USIU). Prior to her
transfer to CYS, Dr. Phan worked for nine
years as a Senior Social Worker in the various
programs within the County of Orange's
Social Services Agency, Children and Family
Services. Her interests in AsianAmericans
began in the early 1970's when she
came to the United States as an exchange
student. She received her Bachelor (1973)
and Master's Degree (1977) in Sociology
from the University of Kansas. While in
Kansas, Dr. Phan met and married her husband,
Sonny. They now have two beautiful,
smart and athletic children.
>From 1980-1987, Dr. Phan worked as a
licensed social worker in Sandusky, Ohio
with terminally-ill patients and with victims
of rape, assault, abuse/ neglect, and
substance abuse. She and her family then
moved to California in 1988 where she
worked as a consultant, specializing in
Asian-Americans. Dr. Phan started working
for the County of Orange since 1989 as
a social worker.
While maintaining full-time employment
with the County, Dr. Phan went back to
school to earn her doctorate degree in clini-cal
psychology in 1998. Although she specializes
in treating Asian-American consumers,
Dr. Phan is very competent and
knowledgeable about working with individuals
from all different ethnic and cultural
backgrounds.
In addition to her academic and professional
accomplishments, Dr. Phan is very
active in the Vietnamese community. She
is currently a member of the Advisory Board
for the Acculturation Services of Vietnamese
Social Services Community Center. Dr.
Phan is involved with the First Vietnamese
Handicapped Support Group and the Vietnamese-
American Youth Forum/ Pacific
Asian Center. She was the recipient of the
Appreciation Award from the MultiCultural Task Force of County of Orange
Social
Services Agency.
Friends and colleagues all agree that Dr.
Phan is one of the friendliest and most supportive
people they know. Dr. Casey
Dorman, who chaired Dr. Phan's dissertation
at USIU and is now a close friend, says
she was "one of our best students, and was
popular among her peers." Tuan Nguyen,
who works with Dr. Phan at the Westminster
Clinic, describes her as an "excellent co-worker,
very outgoing and sociable."
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Volume V, Number 2 Summer 2000
Cultural Events Calendar
Event: June 24-25, 2000
Total Women Expo
Location: Anaheim Convention Center
Information: American Mega Shows at
Anaheim Convention Center
Admission: $7.00 (626) 961-3782
Event: July 1 -4, 2000
22 nd North American
Vietnamese Games -1 mile walk for Vietnamese seniors
Location: Garden Grove High School
Information: Hoa Bao (626)
573-5605
Event: July 4,
2000
Arts on Wheels -crazy 4
th of July parade and wacky floats to celebrate our independence.
Location: Santora Arts Building
Information: 714-834-0688
Event: July 25th -28th 2000
Youth Development / Resiliency
Sponsor: Orange County Department of Education
Location: U. C.
San Diego
Contact: Linda Kearns (714) 825-0197
Event: July 14 -30, 2000
Orange County Fair
Location: Orange County Fairgrounds
Information: (714) 708-FAIR
Ext. 3247
Event:
July 31st -August 4, 2000
Summer
Institute for Addiction and Prevention Studies
Sponsors: Western CAPT, University of Nevada, Reno Center for the
Application of Substance Abuse Technologies, and the Nevada Bureau
of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Location: Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
Information: Gretchen Casey (888) 734-7476
Cost: $165/ half week or
$250/ week
Event: August 11-13, 2000
National Teen
Leadership Program
Location: Cal State San Bernardino (Southern California)
Information: (916) 565-1950 Outside California: (800) 550-1950
http://www.teenleader.org/ teenleader/program_ dates.html
Lecture: August 15 -19, 2000
National Gang Violence
Conference" by California Gang Investigators Association
Location: Anaheim, CA
Information: (888) 229-2442 or www.hitech.com/cgia/conference.htm
FAQ about Aging— Series II
(T or F
QUESTIONS) See next page for answers
Q1: The numbers of older people are
growing.
Q2: The vast majority of older people are self-sufficient.
Q3: Mental confusion is an inevitable, incurable consequence
of old age.
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Volume V, Number 2 Summer 2000
ANTI-BIAS FACILITATORS NEEDED
The Anti-Defamation League is recruiting
facilitators for A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
Institute's anti-bias education and
diversity programs.
If you are interested in becoming a facilitator
for the ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
Institute, please forward your resume
to:
Gary Levine
Assistant Director
Anti-Defamation League
959 South Coast Drive, Ste. 374
Costa Mesa, Ca 92626
Fax: (714) 979-4138
e-mail: levig@adl.org
Telephone: (714) 979-4733
(Continued from p. 1)
One Year Anniversary
of her Filipino heritage that was
high-lighted
by clothing dating back more than
one hundred years. Cultural Competency
staff wore authentic "cultural garb" to celebrate
their individual heritages. We will
continue to do this challenging and exciting
work for Behavioral Health Services.
We hope you to visit us anytime!
(Continued from p. 1)
The Importance of ADA
Myra at first kept her illness and doctor's
appointments, etc. to herself, but as she be-came
closer and more trusting of her peers,
she began to self-disclose. Eventually, she
shared her mental health history with the County and was offered a position in Patients
Rights. Perhaps in part, due to her keen in-sight
into the experiences of consumers, as
well as her clinical skills. "I relate well with
clients. I hear their words and a whole lot
more. When they share their experiences, I
know exactly what they're talking about, as
I've had the same experiences myself. That
personal validation adds a whole new and
vast dimension to the service of caring and
healing. It makes a big difference when the
client knows that the person across the desk
has been there themselves. They can look
in your eyes and find affirmation for their
experiences with these devastating illnesses.
Yes, it helps a lot."
The essential thing to note is that not all of those who suffer with a disability self
identify. Not all of those whom we work
with day in and day out self-identify. The
things we say and do with regard to our
consumers certainly shapes whether a co-worker
will feel safe enough to "come out".
"When I worked in the private sector,"
stated Kanter", staff would say ugly, disparaging
things about clients. I think that
is one of the biggest reasons that people
don't self-disclose. They fear utter abandonment
by their friends and colleagues—
I know I did." Perhaps we can all learn
something from Myra's own experiences
and support our fellow co-workers by truly
embracing humanistic principles and the
ADA as it was intended.
promotion, pay, job training, benefits, referrals
and all other aspects of employment.
ADA does not give unfair advantages; it
helps create a level playing field. Many
times one of the most healthful things a
mental health consumer can do is to establish
some sense of "normalcy" in their lives,
for Myra, work was that normalcy. "It definitely
helped my mental health to keep
working. I have had periods of relapse and
getting back to work helped me regain stability.
FAQ about Aging (ANSWERS)
A1: True. Today, 12 percent of the U.
S. Population are 65 or older. By the year 2030, one in five people
will be over 65 years of age.
A2: True. Only 5 percent of the older population live in
nursing homes; the rest are basically healthy and self-sufficient.
A3: False. Mental confusion and serious forgetfulness in old
age can be caused by Alzheimer's disease or other conditions which
cause incurable damage to the brain,
but some 100 other problems can cause the same symptoms. A minor
head injury, a high fever, poor nutrition, adverse drug reactions
and depression can all be treated and
the confusion will be cured.
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Volume V, Number 2 Summer 2000
The Cultural Connection is published quarterly by the Cultural
Competency
Program of the County of Orange/ Health Care Agency. If you would
like to contribute an article, or have comments, ideas, or suggestions for newsletter improvement,
please write to us at:
County of Orange/ Health Care Agency
405 W. 5th Street, Suite 400
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Telephone: (714) 796-0188
FAX: (714) 796-0194
Web URL:www.ochealthinfo.com/behavioral/library/
Editor: Ronnie Kelley, LCSW Ethnic Services
Coordinator/ Service Chief I
Cultural Competency
Contributing Staff:
Rafael D. Canul, Ph. D Paula Fitzgerald
Dana Nguyen, M. A. Mark Odom, LCSW
Production Staff:
Maria Concepcion
Dana Nguyen, MA
County of Orange/ Health Care Agency
Public
Information and Communications
405 W. 5th Street, 4th Floor
Santa Ana, CA 92701 8
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