Asian and pacific islander cmhc covid-19 recovery project - asian counseling and referral service (ACRS), a cmhc and trusted community messenger since 1973, proposes the asian and pacific islander…

Asian and pacific islander cmhc covid-19 recovery project - asian counseling and referral service (ACRS), a cmhc and trusted community messenger since 1973, proposes the asian and pacific islander (API) cmhc covid-19 recovery project to target API populations living with SMI, SED, and COD. ACRS is a licensed WA state department of health behavioral health provider. ACRS' service delivery strategies are centered on culturally responsive and linguistically accessible services that reflect our service population. ACRS provides a comprehensive range of clinical and social services, offered in 40 languages by staff familiar with API population cultures, histories, and migration experiences. The covid-19 pandemic has shown the depth of health inequities and disparities in access, care, and treatment. IT has further highlighted the digital divide experienced by our target population-isolated by language/illiteracy and mental illness, with zero access to technology to get help or access telehealth services. The pandemic has caused existing mental health conditions to become even worse as clients struggle with fear, isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty. Clients' wellbeing are further impacted by stress and fear from the political and social climate and surge in anti-asian sentiment, harassment, and hate crimes. Staff are also impacted by the pandemic and experience the same isolation, uncertainty, secondary traumas, and disruptions. Despite efforts to pivot service delivery strategies, referrals are diminished, we are challenged to keep clients engaged in care, and staff are suffering from burnout. The proposed project will serve 1,100 individuals. We will strengthen capacity to reach and reengage those in need of cmhc services; improve clients' behavioral health outcomes and wellbeing with trauma informed, individualized whole person and whole health care, with intensive case management to stabilize and recover. We will ensure that the wellbeing of our multilingual, multicultural workforce is supported and will build on opportunities for collective healing so that we can deliver needed care.