Recommendations for improving mental health services in Southeast Asian communities

Over 100,000 residents of Southeast Asian descent live in West Contra Costa County (West County), California, the majority of which occupy the low-income, high crime neighborhoods of Richmond and San Pablo. This community is primarily composed of Laotian war refugees, made of multiple ethnic minority groups, languages, and dialects. A knowledge gap exists within the broader public health field on the unique cultural, historical, and linguistic characteristics, and existing mental health trends of Southeast Asians, including cultural and linguistic isolation, generational gaps, and drug and alcohol abuse. This information is critical for the design and implementation of effective community and mental health services targeting this population. The project of the Mental Health Service Act of West Contra Costa County asked whether mental health needs were being met for these underserved communities. The study was administered through focus groups, interviews, and web surveys conducted in English, Lao, and Mien. Study participants represented a convenience sample of members within the Laotian population in West County, including youth, adults, seniors, community leaders, and advocates. Participants highlighted themes regarding lack of accessibility of mental health services in their communities, particularly cultural and linguistic competency in services and outreach, as well as pervasive stigma and misunderstanding among the community towards mental health issues. The authors make specific recommendations to increase cultural and linguistic accessibility of mental health services, as well as emphasize current successful approaches. The findings have implications for improving public health policy and practices to meet the unique needs of Southeast Asian communities.