NEWSBRIEF

ACMHS Celebrates 33 Years of Bringing Mental Illness Out of the Shadows

33rd Anniversary Gala raised awareness and critical funds for services targeting low-income Asian and Pacific Islanders

On Thursday, May 17, 2007, nearly 250 supporters joined the board and staff of Asian Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS) to celebrate the agency’s 33rd anniversary. The Anniversary Gala and Awards Ceremony, themed Out of The Shadows, highlighted the organization’s work in reducing the stigma associated with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

Interim Executive Director, John K. Fong, began the evening’s program with the story of Etsuko, an ACMHS client for 14 years. He described her long struggle with paranoid schizophrenia, both her accomplishments and setbacks, to highlight the commitment and perserverence of ACMHS’ staff and clients. “There is no miracle cure for mental illness. There is no point when you can say 'It’s over, I don’t have to worry anymore,’” said Fong. “You go on because you realize that even though you’re not getting the gratification of short-term accomplishments, you believe that you are building something long-term.”

After Fong’s address, the agency presented its 2007 awards to corporate and community partners who have been vital to its success. All of the awardees, including master of ceremonies Rob Mayeda, received framed artwork produced by clients in ACMHS’ art therapy group.

Maria Wong, a volunteer with Friends of Children with Special Needs and a member of the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Council, was presented with the 2007 Advocacy award. Wong, the mother of an autistic child, uses her positions to fight for developmentally disabled children to be fully integrated into society. 

The 2007 Leadership Award, presented to the Oakland A’s, honors an individual or corporation who gives support or service to the agency. The A’s were selected to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Asian Community Night, a fun and successful fundraiser, which works to raise awareness of mental health in the broader community. While presenting the Leadership Award, Hon. Steve Cho, councilmember for the City of Fremont said, “By showcasing mental health and ACMHS at the ballpark, the A's have helped to normalize mental illness, reduce stigma and shame, and make it easier for people get the help they need.”

San Francisco Chronicle reporter Heidi Benson was awarded the inaugural Media Champion award for her work to raise awareness about suicide. Benson wrote several in-depth articles in 2005, including a feature on author Iris Chang’s struggle with mental illness and a piece in a seven-part series about the need for a suicide barrier at the Golden Gate Bridge. In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech tragedy, she also wrote about the difficulty Asian Pacific Islanders have in accessing mental healthcare.

The final award of the evening was presented to Hon. Ronald Dellums, Mayor of the City of Oakland. ACMHS awarded Mayor Dellums its 2007 Visionary Award because of his support of mental health services throughout his long career in public service. The Mayor’s deputy chief of staff, Michelle Brown, accepted the award on his behalf and commended ACMHS for the services it provides to the community.

Out of the Shadows was generously sponsored by: California Bank and Trust; Benjamin and Doris Keh; Kazan, McClain, Abrams, Fernandez, Lyons & Farrise Foundation, Inc.; Union Bank of California; Alta Bates Summit Medical Center; AAA of Northern California; Bernstein Global Wealth Management; CostPlus World Market; Wells Fargo Bank; AstraZeneca; Asian Health Services; HKS Architects, Inc.; Karen Park and Peter Lorentzen; Kaiser Permanente; Margaret Kim; New Oakland Pharmacy; Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Telecare Corporation; Telenet, Inc.; and United Commercial Bank. 

About Asian Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS)

ACMHS was founded in 1974 by community activists who had a shared vision that all Americans, including Asian & Pacific Islander immigrants and refugees, deserve the right to have linguistically appropriate and culturally sensitive mental health services. The agency has since expanded its services to include substance abuse treatment, early childhood intervention, prevention services for at-risk youth and developmental disabilities services. ACMHS’ mission is to provide and advocate for multilingual, multicultural family services that empower the most vulnerable members of our community to live healthy, productive and contributing lives.

Photo Credit: Verna Kirkendall