UPAC has provided mental health services to San Diego’s immigrant and refugee populations since 1975 with a $100,000 grant from the County of San Diego. Over the past 37 years, UPAC has continued to expand mental health services to culturally and linguistically diverse immigrant and refugee populations. Current programs funded by County of San Diego, Department of Mental Health Services, include:

UPAC Counseling & Treatment Center
The program serves 570 monolingual and limited English-proficient Asian & Pacific Islander (API) adults and older adults, 11 transitional age youth (ages 18-24), and API parolees with mental illness receive outpatient assistance in increasing their knowledge of the effects of post traumatic stress, reducing depression, social isolation and stress, and increasing English proficiency. Staff language capabilities include Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao, Hmong, Tagalog, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese and English. Most clients are immigrants and refugees who struggle with formidable challenges of a) language and cultural barriers, b) unemployment and underemployment, c) lack of access to and utilization of healthcare and other community resources, d) previous and or ongoing trauma from experiences including war, and domestic and community violence, e) intergenerational conflicts from differences in language, values, beliefs and practices, and f) alcohol, drug and gambling addiction.

5348 University Avenue, Suites 101 & 120
San Diego, CA 92105
Phone: 619 229-2999 Fax: 619 229-2998
Mental Health Services Director: Dixie Galapon Ph.D., CCGC

East Wind Club House

The first program in California to provide socialization and rehabilitation activities for chronically ill Southeast Asians with mental disabilities.  A peer-led program providing wellness, traditional arts, music and cultural celebrations, ESL, citizenship and computer classes. This program serves 179 monolingual and limited-English proficient Asian & Pacific Islander adults and older adults, including Transitional Aged youth.

8745 Aero Drive, Suite 330
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: 858 268-4933 Fax: 858 268-0244
Club House Director: May Vang B.S.

EMASS (Elder Multicultural Access and Support Services)
Services are designed to address mental health issues, provide prevention activities, and increase access to mental health care for over 800 Filipino, Latino, African-American and African refugee communities.

Services are provided countywide, with the main office at 200 North Ash in Escondido, and a satellite office location in downtown San Diego.

EMASS%20July%202011%20NewsletterEMASS Newsletter

Positive Solutions
The short-term prevention and intervention mental health services are provided to 790 homebound seniors, including API, Latino, African American and other seniors. Using the evidence-based Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives for Seniors (PEARLS), seniors are assisted in addressing feelings of isolation, decreasing risk factors for depression and suicide, and improving access to mental health care and support.  Services are provided in the seniors' homes, at senior apartments, and senior residences in Central San Diego and North County.

positive solutions program newsletter_Sept2011

Positive Solutions Program (PDF)
Positive Solutions News (PDF)
Positive Solutions Prevention-Works (PowerPoint)

Mental Health Education
In partnership with the National Alliance for Mental Illness San Diego (NAMISD) UPAC provides a 12-week curriculum on mental health issues for the Vietnamese and Arabic-speaking family members and other caregivers who have loved ones with mental illness.

Family & Adult Peer Line
In collaboration with NAMISD, peer and family specialists provide education and support to API communities to assist peers and family members impacted by mental illness through a confidential, stigma-free helpline. The helpline is staffed with a Vietnamese peer mental health consumer, and also a Filipino family member whose loved one is impacted with mental illness.

California Reducing Disparities Project:

The program is funded by the State of CA, Department of Mental Health and in partnership with the Pacific Clinics in Los Angeles.  UPAC is a member of a statewide, multicultural coalition addressing mental health disparities in the API communities. UPAC’s role is to serve as the regional lead for Orange County and San Diego County by bringing together eight API community-based organizations from Orange County and San Diego, to compile data on methods to reduce cultural disparities in mental health for APIs, and to develop a compendium of promising practices in mental health for the API community.

Services will be provided in downtown San Diego at the Senior Community Center located at 525 14th Street, and in North County at 920 West San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos.

Hope Connections

In partnership with Mental Health Systems, Inc. and NAMI San Diego, UPAC provides peer and family support and education to mental health consumers and family members who access services at the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital.  The HOPE Connections staff consists of Older Adult Family Support Specialists, as well as Vietnamese-speaking and Tagalog-speaking Peer and Family Support Specialists who all have been impacted by mental illness.  All staff will provide supportive and educational services to hospital patients from a recovery-based perspective, and will assist with linkage to outpatient services upon discharge from the hospital.

Supported Employment

In partnership with Mental Health Systems, Inc., UPAC provides job search assistance and job coaching to 25 API and other adults with mental illness.  Services include resume assistance, interview preparation, job search, and assistance with job retention.