County of Orange
Health Care Agency

Behavioral Health Services
Press Release

Juliette A. Poulson, RN, MN
Director

Douglas C. Barton
Deputy Agency Director
Behavioral Health Services

Mailing Address:
405 W. 5th Street
Santa Ana, Ca 92701

E-Mail: PublicInfo@ochca.com

For Immediate Release
AUGUST 21, 2001

Contact: Veronica Kelley
(714) 796-0189

A Personal Story of Survival and Success Offered at September Refugee Conference

(Santa Ana) – Actress Kieu Chinh, star of the movie The Joy Luck Club, will share her journey from refugee to film star at The Southern California Refugee Conference, to be held Wednesday, September 12 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel.

Chinh was born in Hanoi, Vietnam and overcame the loss of most of her family to become the biggest female star in Indochina, only to lose everything again with the fall of Saigon. Since coming to America, she has appeared in over 50 films and television shows and was recognized by the U.S. Congress as "Refugee of the Year" in 1990. Her keynote address will focus on her unforgettable tale of survival, women’s empowerment and Asian-American awareness.

The Southern California Refugee Conference, a first of its kind effort to foster understanding of the mental health needs of refugees, is being hosted by the County of Orange Health Care and Social Services Agencies. Sponsors of the conference include the State Department of Social Services, State Department of Mental Health and State Department of Health Services. The conference is designed to benefit mental health, social service or health care providers who may serve refugee populations.

Plenary and workshop sessions will provide participants with information on a wide range of topics including post traumatic stress disorder, refugee alienation and distress syndrome, and the mental health implications of infectious disease control in refugee communities. Continuing education credits for attendance will be offered to many professionals. More information on the conference, including the conference program and registration information, is available on the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Web site at www.ochealthinfo.com/refugees or by calling (714) 796-0188.

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