Asian American Health Initiative January 2017 Newsletter

January 2017

Volume 7, Issue 3

Greetings!

Welcome to the first newsletter of the calendar year! The Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) hopes that you had a wonderful holiday and we look forward to seeing you again at upcoming outreach activities! If you would like AAHI to visit your community or participate in a health fair or community celebration in Montgomery County, do not hesitate to reach out to us!

As always, you can keep up with the latest news at AAHI by following us on social media! You can find us on AAHI's blog, Facebook, and Twitter!

ECHO Workshop Recap

Aging in Montgomery County:

Creating an Inclusive Community for a Lifetime

On December 6th, 2016, AAHI, in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services' African American Health Program (AAHP), Latino Health Initiative (LHI), and Community Action Agency (CAA) hosted a free workshop entitled " Aging in Montgomery County: Creating an Inclusive Community for a Lifetime" as part of the Empowering Community Health Organizations (ECHO) Project 2016. ECHO is a series of practical and professional training workshops aimed to build the capacity and sustainability of community organizations.

This workshop was made possible by a joint collaboration between the MCDHHS Office of Community Affairs and Aging and Disability Services. This is the first in a three-part series which focuses on the impact and opportunities that come with an aging community. Part two and three of this series will follow in the spring and fall of 2017.

Dr. John Kenney, Chief of Aging and Disability Services, led the workshop. He provided an overview of the diversity in the aging population in the County and presented a new perspective on aging. Workshop attendees participated in a small group activity that allowed them to discuss and articulate the opportunities older people bring to our community and the ways in which the County can utilize those opportunities.

If you would like to learn more about the content covered in the workshop, please view the workshop summary by clicking the button below.

We were honored to be joined by over 100 attendees, representing over 50 organizations from the community. Click on the image below to see more pictures from the workshop!

Hot Off the Press:

Mental Health Photonovel Volume 2

In November, AAHI published the second volume of their mental health photonovel series. As part of the Be the One That Makes a Difference project, the photonovels aim to reduce mental health stigma in the Asian American community.

This volume, titled "Mental Health: Getting the Care You Need", is a continuation of the first photonovel, which shows the title character, Abby, seeking help and seeing a mental health provider. The photonovel encourages the community to get help and showcases what can be expected during therapy.

AAHI staff working with photonovel actors on the day of the photoshoot.

Photonovels are available in multiple Asian languages including Chinese, Hindi, Korean, and Vietnamese. You can download the electronic versions of both volume 1 and 2 from the AAHI Resource Library . Community members have been enthusiastic towards the photonovels and we hope that you will also spread the word in your community as well.

We would like to thank the photonovel actors, Patient Navigators, and AAHI Steering Committee members for their generous support on the project.

National Awards and Recognition

AAHI recently received some national accolades which we are proud to share with our readers!

AAHI was awarded two national awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for the Be the One that Makes a Difference project and the Empowering Community Health Organizations (ECHO) project. Overall, Montgomery County received 32 NACo Awards in 2016 and an awards ceremony was held on December 13th, 2016 to recognize the implementation of innovative projects, programs, and initiatives that assisted county residents.

In addition, volume 1 of AAHI's mental health photonovel was the winner of the American Public Health Association (APHA)'s 26th Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) Public Health Materials Contest in the Print Materials category. The contest aims to recognize public health professionals for their work and to highlight public health materials created to promote a health related message or program.

Thank you NACo and APHA for the awards! AAHI is honored to have been recognized by national associations for our work in addressing the unique health needs of Asian Americans in Montgomery County.