Association of Korean-American Psychiatrists

Types

About Association of Korean-American Psychiatrists

The Association of Korean American Psychiatrists (AKAP) was founded in 1979 primarily as a social organization for KA psychiatrists who were first-generation immigrants. Some like-minded members of this national voluntary organization became interested in helping fellow KAs in their psychiatric service needs. As a result, AKAP has re-considered and re-defined its organizational goals to focus its attention on the unmet need for mental health services within the KA community. This group concluded that direct outreach efforts to combat the stigma of mental disorders and to improve mental health service in general KA population would not be efficacious, in part because the KA population is too geographically scattered to be covered effectively by the limited AKAP membership. However, the group recognized that Korean clergy, as influential leaders of the KA community and potential "gate keepers" of mental health services were a viable, identifiable target group for the AKAP's efforts to achieve community-wide outreach to improve access to mental health service among KAs.

Locations

Primary Office Location

15120 Vista Grande Drive Bakersfield CA 93306

(718) 578-7871