ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF UTAH

REFUGEE SERVICES HOUSING ASSISTANCE: THE HOUSING AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH STATE, LOCAL, AND PRIVATE GRANTS TO SUPPORT LOW- TO MODERATE- INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOUSING STABILITY THROUGH DIRECT RENT AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, WE SERVED 133 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS/FAMILIES UTILIZING OVER 790,480.80 IN FUNDING. OUR HOUSING STAFF UTILIZE THE ARIZONA SELF-SUFFICIENCY MATRIX TO IDENTIFY NEEDS WITH HOUSING AND OTHER WRAP AROUND SUPPORT SERVICES AND REFERRALS. CLIENTS ACCESSED EMPLOYMENT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, ESL CLASSES, AND CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT ALL 133 CLIENTS SERVED HAD SUPPORT IN THEIR SELF-SUFFICIENCY GOALS. AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS: IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR AAU SERVED 182 YOUTH IN IT'S PREVENTION-BASED AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. THE MAIN CURRICULUM THAT WAS ADMINISTERED WAS POSITIVE ACTION. POSITIVE ACTION TEACHES STUDENTS IMPORTANT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS. TEACHING THIS PREVENTION FOCUSED CURRICULUM HELPS IN THE PREVENTION OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE, VIOLENCE AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS. ON AVERAGE, YOUTH WHO TOOK THE POSITIVE ACTION ASSESSMENT SURVEY SCORED IN THE 80% RANGE INDICATING THEY ARE FOCUSING ON POSITIVE PROSOCIAL ACTIONS AS OPPOSED TO ANTISOCIAL ACTIONS. MENTORING PROGRAMS: THE AAU MENTORING PROGRAM WAS SUPPORTED BY FUNDING FROM SALT LAKE COUNTY AND DHHS FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-25. ACROSS THE TWO FUNDING SOURCES WE SERVED 105 YOUTH WHO PRIMARILY RESIDE IN SALT LAKE COUNTY. EACH YOUTH WORKED WITH A MENTOR TO CREATE IN INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE PLAN FOCUSING ON IMPROVING THEIR SELF-ESTEEM, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND FAMILY ATTACHMENT. OVER 85% OF THE YOUTH WE MENTORED INDICATED THAT THEY AVOID DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. FURTHERMORE, EACH MENTOR WORKED WITH EACH MENTEE TO IDENTIFY AND PARTICIPATE IN PROSOCIAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, SPORT TEAMS, AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. SOCIAL SERVICES: THE ORGANIZATION'S SOCIAL SERVICES CASE MANAGERS WORK TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN REFUGEES AND THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR INTEGRATION AND RESETTLEMENT IN THE U.S. THEY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH LEGAL MATTERS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH COVERAGE, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, AND OTHER BASIS NEEDS SERVICES. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED A CLEAR PATH TO INTEGRATION FOR OVER 333 REFUGEES, ASYLEE, VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING, AND PAROLEES CASES. ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) & LIFE SKILLS: AAU PROVIDES THREE LEVELS OF CLASSES FOR ESL LEARNERS FROM NON-LITERATE TO INTERMEDIATE. THESE CLASSES ARE ALL TAUGHT BY TESOL CERTIFIED TEACHERS. ALL OUR CLASSES ARE FREE. WE FOCUS ON LIFE SKILLS FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS WITH THE GOAL OF THE STUDENT BEING ABLE TO GAIN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO GET A JOB AND BE SELF-SUPPORTING OR GO ON TO FURTHER EDUCATION OR TRAINING. WE EMPHASIZE DIGITAL SKILLS INCLUDING WRITING A RESUME, APPLYING FOR A JOB, AND FINDING JOB RESOURCES ONLINE. ALL OUR CLASSES ARE ACCESSIBLE VIRTUALLY THROUGH THE TEAMS APP, THUS ALLOWING FLEXIBILITY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE DEALING WITH JOBS, CHILD-CARE ISSUES, ETC. FOR THE 2024- 2025 FISCAL YEAR, WE SERVED 223 STUDENTS EITHER IN-PERSON OR THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL CLASSES. WE HAVE MORNING CLASSES FIVE DAYS PER WEEK FROM 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. PARENTING PROGRAMS: 145 PARENTS WERE SERVED IN THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR UTILIZING THE SYSTEMATIC TRAINING FOR EFFECTIVE PARENTING (STEP) EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM. EACH PARENT WHO PARTICIPATED ATTENDED 8 OR MORE OF THE PROVIDED PARENTING CLASS. CLASSES WERE PROVIDED IN SPANISH, SOMALI, ARABIC, KINYARWANDA, FRENCH AND ARABIC (DINKA) SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE LANGUAGE COMMUNITY COULD MORE FULLY PARTICIPATE AND UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES TAUGHT IN THE CLASSES. PARENTS REPORTED "MY FAMILY IS MORE UNITED, AND WE DO MORE ACTIVITIES TOGETHER- AND "WE FEEL CLOSER AND MORE CONNECTED AS A FAMILY" AFTER COMPLETING THE CLASS. THEY ADDED THAT THEY ARE NOW "LEARNING TO LISTEN TO THEIR CHILD AND NOT HURTING THEM- AND THAT "THERE ARE LESS ARGUMENTS AT HOME. NINETY-FOUR PERCENT (94%) OF PARTICIPANTS STRONGLY AGREED THAT "THE STEP COURSE HAS HELPED IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS IN MY FAMILY,- AND 94.7% AGREED THAT THE "COURSE HAS HELPED IMPROVE COMMUNICATION IN MY FAMILY. ADDITIONALLY, 97.4% OF THE PARTICIPANTS WOULD RECOMMEND THE "COURSE TO OTHER PARENTS".

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES THE ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF UTAH'S (AAU) BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM, LICENSED BY THE UTAH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING TRAUMA-AFFECTED MIGRANTS IN THEIR RESETTLEMENT PROCESS THROUGH TRAUMA-INFORMED, CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE, AND LOW-BARRIER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. SERVING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AGES FIVE AND OLDER, THE PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND PRIVATE FUNDING AND DELIVERED BY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS. USING EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS, AAU PROMOTES RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE FOR CLIENTS IMPACTED BY TRAUMA, SUBSTANCE USE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND A RANGE OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. OUR SERVICES TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WELLNESS, SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT ON A CONTINUUM FROM PREVENTION THROUGH TO RECOVERY. SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDE EVALUATION AND INDIVIDUAL THERAPY, FAMILY BASED THERAPY, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, COUNSELING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS, OUTPATIENT DRUG AND SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELING, TARGETED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT, PSYCHOEDUCATION GROUPS, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TRAININGS. DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES: IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, AAU SERVED 431 CLIENTS ACROSS UTAH. THIS INCLUDES 291 EVALUATION APPOINTMENTS, OVER 3930 INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY THERAPY SESSIONS, 619 TARGETED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS, AND 332 MEDICATION MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS. THESE SERVICES ENSURED THAT TRAUMA-AFFECTED MIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAD ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT ADDRESSING BOTH CLINICAL AND PRACTICAL NEEDS, HELPING THEM STABILIZE AND THRIVE DURING THEIR RESETTLEMENT JOURNEY. EDUCATION AND TRAINING: AAU ALSO PRIORITIZES PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT TO STRENGTHEN RESILIENCE AND BUILD CAPACITY AMONG CLIENTS AND PROVIDERS. TO DO THIS, SERVICES EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAININGS, PSYCHOEDUCATION GROUPS FOR YOUTH, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION SERVICES. CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INSTRUCTORS ON STAFF DELIVERED YOUTH FOCUSED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID COURSES TO LOCAL PROVIDERS, EQUIPPING PARTICIPANTS TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE AND WHEN TO CONNECT AN INDIVIDUAL WITH PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES. A TOTAL OF 31 INDIVIDUALS WERE TRAINED INCLUDING STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES AND YOUTHLINC. AT THE SUNNYVALE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, AAU THERAPISTS IMPLEMENTED REGULAR PSYCHOEDUCATION COURSES THAT INCLUDED TOPICS SUCH AS EMOTIONAL AWARENESS, COPING STRATEGIES, SELF-CARE, AND OVERALL WELL-BEING. REGULAR ATTENDANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 YOUTH WERE SERVED. AAU STAFF CONDUCTED TRAININGS ON CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE FOR REFUGEE POPULATIONS. AUDIENCES INCLUDED 65 PROFESSIONALS AT THE VETERANS HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, AND CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES FOSTER CARE.