As part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) efforts to promote behavioral health equity and to support President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” Initiative to address opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color, SAMHSA and the American Psychological Association co-sponsored the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Equity: Addressing Disparities Experienced by Men and Boys of Color” conference in March 2015. The purpose of the conference was to address the knowledge gap on behavioral health and overall well-being for boys and young men of color. Issues discussed included (a) gender and identity, (b) social determinants of health and well-being, (c) mental health, substance use, and sexual health, (d) misdiagnosis, treatment bias, and the lack of culturally competent screening instruments and treatment strategies in behavioral health, (d) the impact of profiling and stereotypes on behavior, and (e) unique culturally based strategies and programs.
This brief highlights these issues specific to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) boys and men. This is a diverse population that is often overlooked, underserved, and not well understood. The challenges specific to AANHPI males need to be elevated, and strategies to address these issues need to be documented. Recognizing that this brief is not a comprehensive, in-depth discussion of all the pertinent behavioral health issues for each AANHPI subgroup, this brief represents a start to a much overdue conversation and action strategy.
Population of focus: Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander boys and men
Links to resource:
- Full report — A Snapshot of Behavioral Health Issues for Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Boys and Men: Jumpstarting an Overdue Conversation (pdf)
- Summary and link to download report
Date: 2016
Organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration