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Cultural Connection
New MHSA program welcomes community
Employment Works provides Supported Employment for individuals
with serious and persistent mental illness and co-occurring drug and alcohol
abuse. Based in Garden Grove, the purpose of this program is to provide
intensive job seeking and survival skills training, work experience, community
job placement and support services.
With the support of the Cultural Competency and Multi Ethnic
Services Department of the Orange County Health Care Agency, Employment Works
recently hosted a series of culturally sensitive open house events, which
culminated with a Latino open house celebration. The objective of the open house
series was to invite our multicultural community to participate in Supported
Employment services and improve their lifestyle and level of personal
independence. Carlos Burela, Employment Works Program Manager, coordinated the
event and made the MHSA community feel welcome. Ms. Veronica Kelley, Service
Chief of the Cultural Competency Department and her staff were instrumental in
ensuring the success of the open house series. It was truly enriching to sponsor
an event where attendees could learn and share from each other’s multicultural
backgrounds.
The turnout was excellent and everyone was impressed with the
services offered at Employment Works. Keynote speaker Dr. Rafael Canul did a
wonderful job presenting HCA and MHSA’s pledge to provide the highest level of
services to our communities.
In addition to the many community members who attended, local
elected officials and media were there as well. Councilman Vincent Sarmiento
from the City of Santa Ana participated in the event as a keynote speaker. Also,
Ms. Diana Nguyen, representing Orange County District One came along with
Supervisor Janet Nguyen. Much to Goodwill’s surprise, at the end of the Open
House Claudia Ornelas, representative from California State Senator Lou Correa’s
office, presented Mr. Burela and Goodwill’s Employment Works program with a
Certificate of Excellence.
The Open House was a great success and showcased the excellent
work performed each day by Employment Works staff.
Attendees enjoy lunch outdoors at Goodwill’s Employment Works.
Key note
speakers for the event include Program Director Carlos Burela, Director
of Training for OCHCA /BHS Cultural Competency Rafael Canul, PhD,
Goodwill counselors Glenn St Julien and Yohana Lien and Goodwill CEO Don
Rogers.
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MHSA Progress Report
By Bonnie Birnbaum. DrPH
Quality Management
Calendar 2007 has been a year of continued transformation of
public mental health services in Orange County. We have made substantial
progress in our planning efforts and program implementation. Highlights are
described in the bullets below.
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All but one of the 16 programs included in the original
three-year CSS Plan has been or will be implemented within the next few
weeks.
-
Implementation of Adult Crisis Residential has been
delayed due to challenges in finding and developing a site for the facility.
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The CSS Growth Funding Plan was approved in July 2007. It
includes expansion of four existing programs (Children’s and Transitional
Age Youth (TAY) Full Service/Wraparound Programs and two programs for Older
Adults – OASIS and Mental Health Recovery Services.) All of these programs
have been expanded.
-
The CSS Growth Funding Plan also included four new
programs: Mentoring for Children, Mentoring for Transitional Age Youth,
Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) and the Consumer-run
Wellness/Recovery Center. PACT and the mentoring programs have been
implemented and planning for the renovation of the permanent site for the
Consumer-run Wellness/Recovery Center is in process.
-
An extensive consumer planning process was conducted to
provide input into the Request for Proposals (RFP) process for the
Wellness/Recovery Center. Experts from other California counties and other
states presented information that was used to establish priorities for
features/services to be included in the new Wellness/Recovery Center.
-
A plan for an additional $1.3 million in one-time CSS
Funding was submitted in December 2007. The full $1.3 million requested was
approved in January 2008. The funding will be used to expand an Adult Full
Service Partnership Program and to increase the number of staff providing
outreach services to adults.
-
Thus far, we have spent approximately $22.9 million in MSA
Funds.
-
Since the original CSS Plan was approved in April 2006,
MHSA funds have provided many services to our target populations. These
include:
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384 Children and Transitional Age Youth (TAY) enrolled
in Full Service Partnerships (FSPs)
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410 Adults and Older Adults enrolled in FSPs
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1,013 contacts through our Outreach and Engagement
Programs and 137 people linked to treatment
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2,821 attendees at trainings, and a variety of other
services for 1,521 individuals
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Orange County Funding for MHSA Components:
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MHSA Housing $33,158,300 (up to one-third of this
funding may be spent on operating subsidies)
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Prevention and Early Intervention ($9,755,200 for FY
07/08 and $16,400,00 in FY 08/09)
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Workforce, Education and Training ($8,267,000 for FY
07/08 and FY 08/09 combined)
Capital Facilities and Technology (combined) $28.3 million CSS
$36,307,136 for FY 07/08 – total of original CSS and CSS Growth Funding
and an additional $8,135,900 million for FY O8/09 CSS Growth Funding
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Planning for both the Workforce Education and Training
Component and the Prevention and Early Implementation Component is nearly
completed. DMH approved funding requests for Community Planning and Early
Implementation for each of these two new components. Each of these
components has an Advisory Committee to guide the planning process and
numerous focus groups with stakeholders have been conducted. Prevention and
Early Intervention also conducted both a Consumer Survey and a Provider
Survey to obtain further input. The Consumer Survey was available in
Vietnamese and Spanish, as well as English.
-
The MHSA Office was reorganized into two separate
programs. One will be called MHSA Coordination and Reporting and the other
Systems Navigation.
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The MHSA Coordination and Reporting Unit will have
oversight and responsibility for the Community Services and Supports
Planning, any new Growth Fund Planning, as well as the County’s MHSA Capital
Plan and the coordination of all MHSA reports and their submission to DMH.
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The Systems Navigation Unit is designed to assist families
and consumers in understanding and navigating through the complex system of
services offered by Behavioral Health. It will provide information about all
Behavioral Health services, both county-operated and contracted services.
Staff members will assist individuals in accessing services. Staff will also
work closely with other community-based programs, services and faith-based
organizations.
Understanding Korean
Americans and their families
By Minh-Ha Pham, PsyD
n spite of centuries of strong cultural influence from China
and a 40 year long colonization from Japan, the Koreans were able to maintain
their distinctive cultural identity in terms of their language (with the unique
alphabet invented in 1446 by King Sejong), art, customs, and beliefs (Choy,
1979). Regardless of a North and South division and a civil war between 1950 and
1953, South Korea has been able to forge ahead since the 1960s with their
industrialization efforts toward modernization and economic independence.
Migration to the
United States:
In the first wave of immigrants from Korea to the United
States, over seven thousand men came to Hawaii between 1903 and 1905 for
plantation work along with 1,100 picture brides who joined them; and later,
between 1905 and 1945, students, intellectuals and political exiles also
arrived. From 1951 to 1964, the second wave included 37,000 wives of U.S.
service men, war orphans and students. Since 1965, the Immigration Act has
allowed 20,000 Koreans a year to enter the U.S. and thus attracted the third
immigration wave that consisted of a number of educated, middle and upper middle
class, white collar professionals who came to seek better opportunities in
America. This brought the Korean population in the U.S. to 70,000 by 1970. The
2006 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau reported a total of
1,335,075 Korean Americans resided in the U.S. and 79,657 in Orange County,
California.
Unique Korean
Values:
Koreans generally emphasize education as the main and most
viable avenue for success, socialmobility and distinction. Influenced by their
historical background and the ability to overcome very difficult foreign
domination, Koreans are noted for their endurance and resiliency under the most
adverse conditions. In a 1981 study of Korean immigrants in New York City, Kim
reported that the Korean War experience and the socio-cultural milieu of South
Korea have created a personality profile strong in survival instinct and the
ambition to seek new opportunities.
Korean Family
Characteristics:
Korean family, daily and social life has long been influenced
by the principles implicated by Chinese Confucianism which established a rigid
hierarchy structure and a patriarchical family system. Elders are to be
respected and cared for, and by differential birth order older brother or sister
was allowed to impose authority over younger ones (Min, 1988). In a traditional
family, as the breadwinner and decision maker the husband exercised his role of
differential authority over his wife and his children, via demands for their
respect and absolute obedience. To adapt to their lives as small business owners
in America and by necessity for economic survival, many wives also work long
hours side by side to help their husbands, and this change has led to a more
equal marital partner role for Korean American women in the home today.
Korean Americans also adhere to their family-centered
Confucian ethics with priority given not to the self, but to the unity of and
for the good of one’s family. Through a historical stance of reliance on
resiliency in the face of adversity, Koreans value the ethics of self-discipline
and dedication to work. Long working hours and sacrifice for the sake of the
family unity and ultimate well-being characterize many Korean immigrant’s lives.
Korean American family systems represent a relatively stable
and secure environment for Korean children as they adjust to being born in the
U.S. Many Korean American children are exposed to their parents’ firm beliefs
about the value of education, hard work, adaptability, self-discipline,
self-confidence and pride in their ethnic identity. Although there are
intergenerational gap issues and substance abuse issues among some children and
adolescents of Korean immigrant parents, compared to the national average,
Korean Americans have a slight advantage with lower divorce and youth
delinquency rates.
References
-
Choy, Bong-Youn. 1979. Koreans in America. Chicago:
Nelson-Hall.
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Kim, I.S. (1981). New urban immigrants: The Korean
community in New York. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
-
Min, P.G. (1988). The Korean American family. In C. H.
Mindel, R. W. Habenstein, & R. Wright (Eds.), Ethnic families in America:
Patterns and variations. New York: Elsevier.
-
Young, S. (2000). Comments on “The Impact of Korean
Immigration on the U.S. Economy.” www.iie.com
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March
Cultural Competence & Mental Health Summit XV
Evolving with Communities to Achieve Culturally Responsive Approaches
Date: March 25, 26, 2008
Location: Town & Country Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, San
Diego
Registration: $295 on/before March 4, 2008, $325 after, CEU's $35
For more info, call 916-922-0856
www.cimh.org
April
NASW—California
Annual Conference & Job Fair
Date: April 3-5, 2008
Location: The Westin Los Angeles Airport, 5400 West Century Blvd., Los
Angeles
Registration: Members by March 14–$295, Non-Members–$340
For more info, go to www.naswca.org
The National Network for Social Work Managers
Managing the Challenge of Homelessness
Date: April 10-11, 2008
Location: Los Angeles
Registration Cost
For more info, email:
swevents@usc.edu
2008 Native American Health, Wellness, and Safety Fair
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008, 10:00 – 3:00pm
Location: Doheny State Beach, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive (at Park
Lantern) Dana Point
Registration Cost
For more info, contact:
ccastiglione@ochca.com
May
Institute for Healthcare Literacy
Health Literacy in Primary Care: Best Practices and Skill Building
Date: May 1-2, 2008
Location: Irvine
Register Early & Save
For more info, call 800-434-4633
www.iha4health.org
The Center 2008 Gala Celebration
Gayopoly
Date: May 3, 2008
Location: Hyatt Regency Irvine
Updates and reservations, go to
www.thecenteroc.org or call
714-534-0862
June
22nd National Conference on Problem Gambling
Family & Community Issues
Date: June 26-28, 2008
Location: Long Beach
For more info, go to
www.ncpgambling.org/conference
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Log on—Speak up!
The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), approved by voters in
2004 as Proposition 63, is launching
 its
Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) program. The Health Care Agency wants to
know what you think about mental health services to be offered and groups of
people to be helped by prevention and early intervention programs in Orange
County. With your ideas and assistance, we can better plan for the mental health
needs of our community.
The prevention element of the PEI program is meant to reduce
risk factors or stressors to prevent the initial onset of a mental health
problem, as well as promote and support the well-being of “at risk” individuals
under challenging life circumstances in order to reduce the suffering caused by
mental health problems.
The early intervention element of the PEI program is designed
to prevent a mental health problem from getting worse, or to avoid the need for
more extensive mental health treatment or services.
Please go to:
http://ochealthinfo.com/mhsa/pei/ and take a few minutes to complete one of
the on-line surveys to share your opinions and suggestions. The information you
provide is confidential and anonymous.
If you have any questions or would like a questionnaire mailed
to you, please contact Alan Albright at (714) 834-5572 or
aalbright@ochca.com.
Do you work with someone who exemplifies Cultural
Competency? Someone who is both sensitive and respectful to persons of
all cultures, whether colleague or consumer? If so, the Cultural
Competency Program would like to formally acknowledge 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.
Awardees will be honored at the County’s Mental Health Advisory Board
Meeting. Thank you.
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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:
ochealthinfo.com/cultural
Editor:
Veronica A. Kelley, LCSW
Ethnic Services Coordinator/Service Chief I
Cultural Competency
Contributing Staff:
Carlos Burela, MFT
Minh Ha Pham, PsyD
Bonnie Birnbaum, DrPH
Production Staff:
Christy Castiglione
County of Orange/Health Care Agency
405 W. 5th Street, Suite 400
Santa Ana, CA 92701
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