Asian American Mental Health: A Story By Ramey Ko

Ramey Ko shares a personal & inspiring story related Asian American Mental Health, in honor of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day - May 10, and the launch of Friends Do Make a Difference campaign.

Training Videos available from RAMS:

To order videos, email us.

HOMECOMING - A look at a Chinese American family and their struggles with tradition, acculturation, and a son diagnosed with schizophrenia. This dramatization explores a range of cultural issues that arise in API family structures complicated by issues of mental illness. Fiction. Approx. 10 mins. DVD (2001).

THE MISUNDERSTOOD PATIENT -A dramatization depicting difficulties encountered by a monolingual patient trying, and failing, to communicate with clinical personnel. This story reverses the roles of the typical API mental health consumer, placing a Western English speaker in a mainland Chinese hospital. The main character is bombarded by unfamiliar language and culture issues, mistakenly diagnosed with mental illness, and despite his struggle ends up being hospitalized for mental illness. Fiction, some subtitles. Approx. 10 mins. DVD (2001).

ROAD TO RECOVERY - This documentary explores the life experiences of three first-generation Asian immigrants/refugees who suffer from different mental illnesses - schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This video is an honest exploration told in their own words, and strives to shed light on mental health issues of the API population, including post-migration stress, language and culture barriers, and ways of coping with these issues. Nonfiction, some subtitles. Approx. 24 mins. DVD (2001)

HIRE-ABILITY "DARE TO DREAM" - This promotional video introduces the programs available at Hire-Ability - RAMS employment service. Hire-Ability's role as a training and rehabilitation program are emphasized through interviews with staff and clients, and on and off-site visits to Bay Area businesses. Nonfiction. Approx. 20 mins. VHS

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Brochures:

RAMS provides material about program services as well as on mental health related information and resources. RAMS also participates in efforts that further enhance the accessibility of psycho-educational materials, including translation projects for the community.