Asian American Health Initiative

he Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) was established in Fiscal Year 2005 (FY2005) as part of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Affairs.AAHI’s mission is to improve the health and wellness of Asian American communities in Montgomery County by applying equity, community engagement, and data-driven approaches.AAHI provides education on health concerns such as cancer, hepatitis B, diabetes, tobacco use, osteoporosis, senior wellness, and mental health, to name a few. AAHI disseminates relevant health information to the Asian American community at faith-based and community-based organizations, cultural events, health fairs, and small-businesses. AAHI's culturally and linguistically tailored health education materials are available in, but not limited to, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hindi on their website and at outreach events.In addition to educating the Asian American community on disease risk factors and prevention, AAHI also provides referrals to screening and health care services throughout Montgomery County to eligible residents. To support and empower community partners in the Asian American community, AAHI provides various types of workshops to local organizations so that communities have the skills, knowledge, and resources to better address the needs of their members. Our community empowerment efforts include the Mental Health First Aid trainings, the Empowering Community Health Organizations (ECHO) Project, and the Public Resources Education Program (PREP).AAHI also provides technical assistance to community partners and public health organizations to support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of their health services and programs. AAHI offers insights on best practices in community outreach and health programs implementation in Asian American communities. Equipped with these tools, organizations can be more effective in addressing the health needs in their communities and be able to develop programs and services that are culturally and linguistically competent when serving Asian Americans.This is not a clinic or hands-on health care.