NAMI Statement on Violence Against Asian American Community

Posted on March 18, 2021

Arlington, VA — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today released the following statement from NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr., regarding the recent violence against members of the Asian American community.

“We are deeply saddened by this traumatic event in Atlanta that cost eight people their lives.

“NAMI condemns all acts of violence and discrimination directed toward members of the Asian American community. In the same way we fight discrimination against people with mental illness, we stand united against racist and violent acts against any particular community.

“The effects of racial trauma on mental health are profound and cannot be ignored. As the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, it is our responsibility to serve all. We offer our resources to help members of Asian American community to seek mental health care and to heal.

Racism is a public health crisis, and we stand with the Asian American community as they go through this painful experience. NAMI is here for you and you are not alone.”

Resources

NAMI Family & Friends
A free 90-minute or four-hour seminar, with an e-book available in three Asian languages: Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

NAMI In Our Own Voice
A stigma-busting presentation providing a model that facilitates highly individualized accounts of lived experience of mental health conditions. This video features program leaders from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

NAMI Family-to-Family
An 8-week psychoeducation program for families and friends. A Chinese translation with cultural adaptations will be available in 2021, with online classes offered by NAMI Affiliates in a limited number of states, including California and New Jersey.

NAMI Support Groups
Peer-led and offers participants an opportunity to share their experiences and gain support from other attendees. Culturally sensitive groups are offered by NAMI Affiliates in a limited number of states, including California and New Jersey.

NAMI Blog — AAPI related posts
Where voices from diverse communities are heard on various topics.
Please note: The resources included here are not endorsed by NAMI, and NAMI is not responsible for the content of or service provided by any of these resources.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) — Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders
ADAA is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders through education, practice and research. It has a dedicated webpage on AAPI resources and research information.

Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI)
AAHI is a health and wellness initiative of Maryland’s Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. Its website is available in four Asian languages: Traditional Chinese, Hindi, Korean and Vietnamese.

Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)
AAPA is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization of Asian American mental health professionals, with the mission of advancing the mental health and well-being of Asian American communities through research, professional practice, education and policy.

Asian Mental Health Collective
A new global non-profit organization with the mission of normalizing and de-stigmatizing mental health within the Asian community through projects such as Facebook group, resource library, video web-series and meet-up groups.

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)
Founded in 1986, APIAHF influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Asian Pride Project
Asian Pride Project is a nonprofit organization that celebrates the journeys, triumphs and struggles of LGBTQ individuals and Asian and Pacific Islander (API) families and communities through the use of arts — film, video, photography and the written word — as a medium for social justice and advocacy.

Chinese-American Family Alliance for Mental Health (CAFAMH)
CAFAMH is a NYC-based nonprofit organization that seeks to promote self-empowerment and mutual support among Chinese-American caregivers of individuals with mental illness by providing a safe space for family support group meetings.

Chinese-American Sunshine House
A non-profit organization based in Brooklyn that provides awareness programming and education workshops to Chinese-American families.

Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA)
CAA advocates for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial and social injustice.

Each Mind Matters
Mental health support guide for Chinese-American communities.

GAPIMNY
Empowering queer and trans Asian Pacific Islanders.

Mental Health America
Asian American/Pacific Islander communities and mental health.

Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC)
MHACC is a California-based nonprofit organization with a mission of raising awareness of mental health within the Chinese community through advocacy, education, research and support.

MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus is a free service provided by the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health which presents high-quality, relevant health and wellness information in multiple languages, including about 20 AAPI languages.

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA)
NAAPIMHA is a nonprofit organization with the mission of promoting the mental health and wellbeing of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
NQAPIA is a federation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations.

Psychology Today
Psychology Today's directory provides a comprehensive and searchable directory of therapists, psychiatrists and treatment facilities across the U.S. and includes a directory of Asian therapists.

Viet-Care
A California-based nonprofit organization providing mental health education, support and advocacy to Vietnamese-American families.