ROI-NJ.COM (April 26, 2021) covering Care Plus NJ’s new IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Action) Committee and their efforts to address and aid in combating Anti-Asian violence and racism.
Caitlyn Yerves, co-chair of the IDEA Committee and director of communications and advocacy at CarePlus NJ, said the issue is pressing.
“Given the rise in documented hate crimes against the Asian American community and the resulting increase in media attention, we felt this was a timely topic to address in CarePlus NJ’s first panel in our upcoming Community Education Series,” she said. “It is more vital than ever to create an open dialogue around these issues while sharing ways individuals and organizations can be allies as well as take actionable steps to become part of the solution. We look forward to doing so in this event.”
Featuring experts from CarePlus NJ’s Psychiatric Emergency Screening Program and its Korean American Outreach Services program, as well as from the Asian Women Christian Association, the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department and other community advocates, the discussion will center on the cultural barriers Asian Americans face and how they may impact mental health or access to psychiatric services, how bystanders can report a bias incident or hate crime, and how individuals and organizations can support the community.
With the goal of actively fostering an environment of cultural competency though staff and community education, the IDEA Committee seeks to promote social justice through education and advocacy. In addition to the Community Education Series, the committee is also spearheading several initiatives to transform the organization’s culture from the inside out with weekly staff-to-staff discussions, changes to HR policies and procedures, staff trainings, and community outreach and advocacy.
CarePlus NJ, INC. is dedicated to excellence in mental healthcare and has a commitment to life-long support needed by individuals and their families to ensure that they achieve their full potential and improve the quality of their lives.
