April 2017
Volume 7, Issue 4

Greetings!

Welcome to the last newsletter of the 2017 fiscal year! Spring is one of the busiest outreach seasons at the Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) and we look forward to meeting new faces and seeing familiar ones at our outreach activities. We have many exciting updates and upcoming projects to share, so keep an eye out for them! 

As we head towards the end of the fiscal year, AAHI would like to thank our Steering Committee, Health Promoters, and community partners for  all the support we have received!

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! 
Register for ECHO Workshop!
Aging in Montgomery County: 
Building a Safer Community  Together
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Join the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services' (MCDHHS) Office of Community Affairs and Aging and Disability Services for our 13th Empowering Community Health Organizations (ECHO) Workshop - "Aging in Montgomery County: Building a Safer Community Together"!

The ECHO Project is a series of capacity building technical assistance workshops hosted by AAHI, in partnership with the African American Health Program (AAHP), Community Action Agency (CAA), and Latino Health Initiative (LHI).

This free workshop is the second in a three-part series which focuses on the impact and opportunities that come with an aging community. The workshop will take place on Tuesday, May 16, 2016 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm at the Silver Spring Civic Building.  Montgomery County's Adult Protective Services, State Attorney's Office, Police Department, and Fire and Rescue Services will be leading a panel discussion on the importance of elder safety and the resources that promote a safer aging community.

In addition, a resource fair will be held before the workshop from 5:00pm to 6:00pm with local organizations and programs in attendance to provide information and resources for older adults. Please view the workshop flyer for more information.

Registration is already in full swing! Please RSVP by Monday, May 1, 2017 as space is limited for this workshop. You can register online by clicking the button below. You can also contact Diem-Thanh (Tanya) Dang, AAHI Program Assistant, at 240-777-4517 or Diem-Thanh.Dang@montgomerycountymd.gov to register.
 

To learn more about ECHO, please click here for the workshop summary of our last ECHO Workshop focusing on the disparities faced by older Montgomery County residents and ways we can support vital aging in the community.
     
Participants at our ECHO workshop.
Launching Our
Cultural Competency Training!

AAHI recently introduced a new initiative focused on enhancing the cultural competency of behavioral health providers. This project aims to equip providers and mental health program staff with a better understanding of the unique needs of Asian American clients. This in turn will lead to a more culturally responsive experience for Asian American clients when receiving mental health treatment, ultimately decreasing early termination of services. 
 
AAHI Behavioral Health Program Coordinator presenting to behavioral health providers.
 
AAHI believes that the delivery of culturally appropriate patient-centered care can be enhanced through an understanding of Asian cultures and Asian American experiences.  To pilot this project,  AAHI hosted two presentations, entitled "Building Cultural Bridges: Improving Behavioral Health Providers' Competency with Asian American Clients", for Montgomery County's Adult Behavioral Health Program and Access to Behavioral Health Program. The presentation included information on health challenges faced by Asian Americans and findings from promising practices in the field.

AAHI Behavioral Health Program Coordinator explaining Asian Americans' immigration history.

Overall, attendees reported increased levels of confidence when  navigating the cultural nuances that may arise when working with Asian American clients following the presentation. AAHI hopes to continue our effort in assisting the development of culturally competent health care services for the Asian American community.
Invite FIRST to your community!

Have you heard about FIRST? In the fall of Fiscal Year 2017, AAHI began providing the Faith-based Initiative for Resources and Services Training (FIRST) to caregivers and community volunteers in faith-based communities. This 3-hour training, called "AAHI 101 and Guide to Local and County Resources", is designed to educate and equip members from faith-based organizations (FBO) with knowledge about various county and local health and social service resources available for Asian Americans.

AAHI Resource Coordinator presenting to attendees at Chinese Bible Church of Maryland.

Two sessions of FIRST were conducted at the Chinese Bible Church of Maryland (CBCM) and the Gaithersburg Chinese Alliance Church (GCAC). AAHI provided attendees an extensive overview on local resources available and shared insights on where and how to access these services and resources.

 
 AAHI staff and community health workers at Gaithersburg Chinese Alliance Church.
 
Our attendees actively participated in the training and learned how to assist their community members in various ways. Thank you CBCM and GCAC for having us and we hope to continue our collaboration in the future! 

If you are interested in learning more about FIRST and would like AAHI to present to your community, please contact Huyen Bui, Resource Coordinator, at Huyen.Bui@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Sincerely,

AAHI Staff
Asian American Health Initiative
Montgomery County
Department of Health & Human Services 
Quick Links
Upcoming Events

Apr 15 - Cambodian New Year Celebration
Apr 16  - Wheaton Sri Lankan New Year Celebration
Apr 16  - Wat Thai Songkran New Year Celebration
Apr 23  - Viet Nam Medical Assistance Program (VNMAP) Smash B Health Fair
Apr 29  - Korean Community Services Center (KCSC) Annual Health Fair
May 6  - Move More Montgomery Festival
May 24  - Rockville Senior Center Health Fair
May 28 -  Southern Asian Seventh-day Adventist Church (SASDAC) Health Expo
Jun 14 - 7th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Check out our  calendar of events  for more information!
Past Highlights

Jan 15 - Association of Vietnamese American (AVA) New Year Festival 
Feb 5  -  Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) Lunar New Year Celebration
Mar 19 - Burmese Sticky Rice Festival
Mar 31 - Gaithersburg High School Health Fair
Apr 6 - Watkins Mill High School Health Fair
Asian American Health Initiative | info@AAHIinfo.org | 1401 Rockville Pike, 3rd Floor
Rockville, MD 20852