CSPP Hong Kong students and faculty to present at the 2009 APA Convention

In May of 2008, a catastrophic earthquake hit the Sichuan Province in Western China. With 12,000 dead and 18,000 missing, the surrounding communities struggled to heal. In response to the disaster, students and faculty from the Hong Kong-based clinical psychology doctoral program of the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant International University developed an innovative and collaborative grassroots effort to provide services and education in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Their work continues today.

As a result of their great efforts, a group of participants have been accepted to present a symposium during APA’s 117^th Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada, in the International Psychology Division. The symposium, “Culturally Relevant Community Disaster Relief: Post-earthquake Interventions in Sichuan, China,” will focus on the needs and challenges of their relief efforts and forging local partnerships between Chinese mental health organizations at disaster impacted regions.

Marie Chiu, a CSPP Hong Kong student, will present the activities of the 512 Psychological Care Action group (512 PCA), and more specifically, will present the Community Psychoeducation model which emphasizes the delivery of culturally relevant psychological services at the community level. CSPP Dean Morgan Sammons will be included as a discussant and will situate the discussion with regard to the responsibility of psychologists to provide culturally relevant services in international settings.

Their acceptance to present at the convention is a testament to the work they’ve done in providing service to local communities and advocating for localized empowerment to support and serve those affected by the earthquake. Embedded in a culture where mental disease is stigmatized, our CSPP community continues to advocate for innovative mental health services that are contextualized and indigenous to the survivors and their native culture.

Congratulations to the 512 PCA for their work in Sichuan.