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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Suchiemi Tai, Co Deputy Director of Garden of Hope on Asian American Mental Health Needs
7:22:00
ยท
133 sec
Suchiemi Tai, Co Deputy Director of Garden of Hope, testified about the urgent mental health needs of New York's Asian community and the importance of culturally competent, language-accessible mental health services. She emphasized the barriers to care faced by the Asian community and highlighted Garden of Hope's work in providing trauma-informed mental health care.
- Garden of Hope provided trauma recovery services to 1,071 adults and 317 children/youth in 2023, with 94% of adult clients having limited English proficiency.
- Language access (83%) and cultural stigma (67%) were identified as major barriers to mental health care for the Asian community.
- Tai urged the city to increase funding for Asian-led community-based organizations to expand mental health services.
Suchiemi Tai
7:22:00
Hi.
7:22:01
Good afternoon Chair Lee, Tran Sherman and D.
7:22:04
HOLK Committee Councils.
7:22:06
My name is Suchiemi Tai and I serve as the co deputy director at Gardener Hope.
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A linguistically and culturally competent services to the Asian community with a primarily focus on the Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans in New York.
7:22:25
While we are widely recognized for our work with survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, hate violence, and other traumas, we also provide mental health services to the broader community.
7:22:38
I'm here today as a member of AF Asian American Mental Health Roundtable to speak to the urgent mental health needs of New York and Asian community.
7:22:48
It's one of the organizations in the roundtable where 50% of those serves our trainees.
7:22:54
Gardner Hope plays a key role in reaching this population through trauma informed mental health care.
7:23:01
According to AF twenty twenty four Mental Health Support, language access is the most significant barrier to care, eighty three percent, and sixty seven percent identified cultural stigma as a major obstacle.
7:23:17
And many Asian community members trust CBOs like us for mental health services due to the cultural understanding and safety we provide.
7:23:27
At Garden Hope, we have seen how culturally specific language accessible mental health care can change lives.
7:23:36
In 2023 alone, we provide trauma recovery services to ten seventy one adults and three seventeen children and youth, with ninety four percent of our adult clients having limited English proficiency.
7:23:53
And with a team of 18 bilingual staff, and most of us are licensed mental health counselor and social worker, we deliver culturally relevant care.
7:24:03
And now we just urge the city to increase funding for Asian led community based organization to expand mental health services.
Lynn Schulman
7:24:13
Thank you.