It takes a village to serve a Hmong youth (Livestream)
Kimiko Vang is Deputy Director at Merced County Human Services Agency. She oversees Employment and Training programs, Family Stabilization, Staff Development, All Dads Matter and All Moms Matter programs, and the Hmong Women’s Initiative. Kimiko has over 16 years of experience in social services and clinical practice as both a direct practitioner and an administrator. Kimiko holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
May-Ci Xiong is a Program Manager for Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services with the Children’s System of Care. She has experience working with community-based agencies and county agencies, and serving disadvantaged youth such as foster children. May-Ci is an LCSW and is currently providing both clinical supervision and professional consultation to colleagues in effort to better serve Hmong consumers.
Starting Emotional Wellness Conversations in Punjabi Communities
Dr. Preet Kaur Sabharwal received her PsyD at the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University in Alameda. Preet is the founder of the South Asian Mental Health Consortium which puts on an annual conference on the subject. As a mental health clinician and now program coordinator at The Hume Center, Preet oversees clinical services in their South Asian Program for youth, adults and families. Preet works from a cultural lens and provides services in both Punjabi and Hindi. She has facilitated a variety of workshops and presentations at conferences across the United States, and is considered to be one of the frontrunners on promoting advocacy and mental health awareness on behalf of the South Asian population.
Nina Kaur recently completed her Post-Doctoral Fellow at Portal Bell Hume Behavioral Health and Training Center, where she provided psychological services in the South Asian and Outpatient Program. She received her PsyD with an emphasis on Social Justice from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco. Nina has provided therapeutic services to underserved and diverse populations in school-based programs and community mental health settings. Her practicum sites have enabled her to provide services in her native language, Punjabi. Nina’s interests include South Asian mental health, trauma, community resilience, social justice, and reducing mental health stigma. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Wright Institute School-Based Collaboration Program in Berkeley, California, where her dissertation examined domestic violence and alcohol abuse in the Punjabi Sikh community.
November 21 - 22, 2019 • Clovis Veteran's Memorial District, Clovis CA
Peer Support, System Transformation, & Advocacy
Adrianne Perrine DeSantis is of Korean and European ancestry, and grew up in Saudi Arabia. Formerly a Paralegal, and a Patients’ Rights Advocate for persons in psychiatric facilities, she has been staff at Alameda County Behavioral Health’s Consumer Empowerment Department for over a decade, since the inception of the Pool of Consumer Champions (“POCC”). Among her many areas of involvement in the Consumer Empowerment Department, she is the county staff person to the POCC Asian American Committee. Adrianne is a writer and a devoted grandmother.
LaMar Mitchell has Japanese, African American, and European ancestry. He is an independent contractor staff to the Pool of Consumer Champions Asian American Committee in Alameda County. LaMar recovered from mental health challenges at Napa State Hospital. He has returned to school and brings an appreciative, enthusiastic spirit to his community. LaMar is a poet, writer, and film buff. He is a supporter of LGBT people and causes.
Taylor Wong is Chinese American. He has experienced mental health and substance use challenges, and benefitted from rehab programs. He leads a balanced life, is involved with several programs, and enjoys comedy and playing the guitar. Family and friends are a significant source of support for him. He is a member of the Pool of Consumer Champions in Alameda County, and facilitates a group through NAMI at a psychiatric hospital. He hopes to educate people about his experiences and to learn from others.
Trung Hua is Chinese American. He was born and grew up in Da-Nang Vietnam, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1989. The immigration experience contributed to mental health challenges, and Trung was treated at Napa State Hospital. He has been a member of the Pool of Consumer Champions and a Chinese NAMI group in Alameda County for four years.