Sushama Kirtikar

The American Psychological Association (APA) is touted as the largest body of psychologists in the world. It has been around for more than a century. Thirty-five years ago, a new organization called the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) was born as an off-shoot of APA. This was out of the need to serve the Asian American community in the San Francisco Bay area. By 1995, it had grown into a national organization.

This year also saw the spawning of a new body called DoSAA, Division of South Asian Americans. Therefore APA, AAPA and DoSAA are like the Russian Matroyshka dolls, with each nesting neatly into the other, and each having its own distinct personality. Or, one can go with the simpler analogy of APA as the centenarian grandparent born in 1892, the AAPA as the parent born in 1972 and DoSAA as the infant born in April 2007. The latter is only a 6-month-old neonate with its first meeting having been in August of this year at the psychological annual conference in San Francisco.

As befitting the dependence of newborns on the parent for succor, DoSAA will remain a division of AAPA, until it grows mature and strong enough to spread its wings and fly the coop. Perhaps, then it can individuate into a national organization under its own steam.

Why is there such a need to branch out from American to Asian American and now to South Asian American psychological organizations? It is a matter of fine tuning. Our cultural needs are unique. They do not necessarily meld with those of the host (American) culture. We must custom-fit the treatment to the distinctive needs of our community.

Further seemly was the theme of AAPA’s annual conference this year: “Community Collaborations and Connections.” The place pulsated with a live charge to do community outreach work in the area of psychological well-being. Everyone there was on a similar mission and it was exhilarating to be caught up in that swirl of enthusiasm. Participants and presenters alike came from diverse corners of the United States, from Chicago to Tampa, from Baltimore to San Francisco. Yes, the South Asian American mental health realm is in its infancy. But what it lacks in longevity, funds and numbers, it makes up in enthusiasm, motivation, personal and academic experience and the will to make a difference.

There is a proliferation of South Asian psychological health organizations all over the U.S. that many of you may be familiar with. There are at least 25 such organizations in the nation that serve slightly different aspects of psychosocial needs of the community. Some act as a crisis hotline with trained volunteers ready to respond to callers in need. Some act as a referral agency/service directory with a list of providers in various fields such as physicians, attorneys, psychiatrists, counselors, etc. Others offer transitional homes to survivors of domestic violence. Many offer educational seminars and health fairs to the public. Some attempt to build cultural proficiency with mental health providers serving the south Asian population. Others offer mentoring opportunities to youngsters. Yet others have forged out into the arena of social justice, fighting hate crimes not with retribution but with reformation. It is absolutely jaw dropping and awe- inspiring to hear and see all the work that is being done from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to Georgia and Texas, from Washington D.C. and New York to California and Washington. They represent models to learn from and emulate.

In keeping with this growing national trend, we just got an initiative called PEHCHAAN off the ground, in 2006, here, in Florida. It means ‘identity’ in Hindi and stands for ‘Providing Educational, Humanistic and Cultural Hope for the south Asian American Network.’ We hope to make a difference in our small pocket of the country, in our very own nook of Tampa Bay. A grassroots organization is starting to take root here.

Sushama Kirtikar, a licensed mental health counselor in private practice, can be reached at (813) 264-7114 or e-mail at sushamak@verizon.net

SPECIAL NEEDS

	Dr. Ram P. Ramcharran

STAND IS AN ORGANIZATION EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW
By Dr. RAM P. RAMCHARRAN

There are many organizations in the Tampa Bay area that focus on helping special needs children but the one organization that everyone should know about it is STAND (Statewide Advocacy Network on Disabilities Inc.) This not-for-profit organization, which has been around since December 1996, was organized by a group of parents and attorneys to help educate people on their rights.

STAND's purpose it to inform the families of children with disabilities of their rights. It is dedicated to getting a child with a disability the right education that they are entitled to under the law. The three main laws that STAND is concerned with are: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973. It focuses on three topics: advocacy, legal rights, and above all, education.

This year, STAND will be hosting SPARC 2007 – Stand Pinellas Accessing Resource Conference. The organization’s goal is to provide parents, teachers, therapist and other professionals with resources that help children with disabilities make achievements in their life. STAND focuses on children with Special Needs and they take this mission very seriously.

This year SPARC 2007 will be held at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School in Pinellas Park, on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Morgan Fitzgerald is at 6410 118 Ave. N., Largo, FL 33773. Cost for the conference is $25 for pre-registration. That will include one entry to the conference, a lunch ticket and a program.

(Dr. Ram Ramcharran will be a guest speaker at the STAND event. He will be discussing how to better understand and deal with children with special needs. If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Melissa Tremblay, SPARC chairperson at (727) 784-8493 or visit www.standadvocates.org.)

Dr. Ram P. Ramcharran can be reached at ramramcharran@hotmail.com