In the News

Press Release, June 4, 2007
Conference on South Asians Living with Disabilities

For more information, contact:
Shazia Anam, SAH Project, shazia@southasianhealth.org, 917-406-2937
Aruna Rao, SAMHAJ, arao@naminj.com, 732-940-0991

New Brunswick, NJ—A New Jersey statewide collaboration is working to raise awareness and initiate discussion on the needs of South Asians living with disabilities and their families through a new conference this year. The conference, South Asian Community and Disabilities: Raising Awareness, Facing Challenges, Accessing Resources, is scheduled for June 15, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, NJ, and is open to members of the South Asian community, individuals living with disabilities and their families, community leaders, and providers of disability and social services.

Five leading disability advocacy groups, the Elizabeth M. Boggs Centre on Developmental Disabilities, New Jersey Protection and Advocacy, Inc, SPAN, the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, and UMDNJ-Office of Academic and Clinical Initiatives, have joined forces with the South Asian Health Project (SAH Project) and South Asian Mental Health Awareness in Jersey (SAMHAJ) to convene the conference.

“People living with disabilities and their caregivers show determination, strength, courage, and resilience every day,” said Ms. Shazia Naz Anam, Founder of South Asian Health Project (SAH Project). “Disabilities can be related to physical, developmental, and mental illnesses and are often accompanied by complex issues, especially for immigrant and minority communities, such as South Asians. The conference will explore topics, such as immigration, family and social support, stigma, social services, faith, and will help identify ways we can better support community members affected by disabilities.”

“South Asian immigrants with disabilities face tremendous barriers to accessing the services and support they need, primarily due to lack of information and stigma against those affected,” according to Aruna Rao, Director of Educational Programs at National Alliance on Mental Illness of New Jersey, and founder of SAMHAJ (South Asian Mental Health Awareness in Jersey). “A conference like this will go a long way towards giving families and individuals affected by developmental disabilities and mental illness a chance to find sources of support and start accessing much-needed services.”

Two different tracks will be discussed at this conference. One track will focus on providing information on developmental disabilities, such as Down Syndrome and autism, and mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia. Individuals living with disabilities and their families will share their stories, resources available to families and individuals will be provided, and many service providers and advocacy organizations will be exhibited at the conference. Another track will feature community leaders presenting cultural issues and perspectives on disability to service providers who work with families and individuals to better inform culturally competent services. Guest speakers presenting at the conference include the Honorable Upendra Chivukula, Assemblyman (D-17) – New Jersey.

“The provider community wants to serve their clients well and getting to know them is a "must do" first step,” said Celia Abalos, Vice President for Academic & Clinical Initiatives. “Bringing clients, healthcare providers, and caregivers together will enable us to develop the services that better improve the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable populations.”

William Gaventa, Director of Community and Congregational Supports at The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities shares, “We hope to help families from South Asian communities to have a better awareness of the kinds of services and supports available for family members with developmental disabilities. Similarly, we hope to help service providers gain a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, the cultures and traditions of South Asian families and communities so their outreach and service can be more effective.”

The day-long event will conclude with a performance by Mr. Sujeet Desai, a young South Asian man living with Down Syndrome. He will be performing a solo instrumental recital.

For detailed information on the conference, visit www.southasianhealth.org.

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The South Asian Health Project (SAH Project)
Since 2003, SAH Project is shifting dialogue away from disease and treatment to healthy lifestyles and prevention; beyond needs and deficits to strengthening community assets. As an emerging community-based group, its mission aims to achieve health equity for South Asians through individual and community empowerment, recognizing that health does not occur in a void; multiple factors (social, environmental, cultural, economic) impact health outcomes. SAH Project program activities in New Jersey and New York include building partnerships and raising awareness among the community, health and social service providers, and policymakers. SAH Project strives for innovative solutions through “out-of-the-box” strategies in community health, with programs that promote cultural, linguistic, and faith understanding. For more information, e-mail info@southasianhealth.org.

South Asian Mental Health Awareness in Jersey (SAMHAJ)
SAMHAJ (South Asian Mental Health Awareness in Jersey) was founded in 2001 to provide support to South Asian immigrants affected by serious mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. The program is coordinated out of NAMI NEW JERSEY, the leading mental health advocacy organization in New Jersey. SAMHAJ offers support groups for family members who are caregivers for someone with a mental illness, and also for consumers of mental health services. In addition, SAMHAJ provides educational opportunities for the South Asian community to learn more about mental health issues and resources through a variety of outreach initiatives. SAMHAJ also provides training for mental health agencies and other service agencies to learn more about the needs of South Asian families and individuals who seek help. To learn more about SAMHAJ call 732 940 0991, e-mail samhaj@naminj.org, or visit http://www.naminj.org/.

The Boggs Center is part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
The Boggs Center, since its inception in 1983, has emphasized a community based, life span approach to the needs of individuals with the full range of developmental disabilities and their families. The Boggs Center provides community and student training and technical assistance, conducts research and model demonstrations, disseminates educational materials, and responds to requests for information. Activities of The Boggs Center are guided by our Consumer Advisory Council and partnerships with people with disabilities, families, state and community agencies, and policy makers. This South Asians and Disabilities Conference is part of a series of cultural awareness and cultural competence events developed in collaboration with New Jersey Protection and Advocacy, Inc., the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, and UMDNJ.

The federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities originally designated the center as the University Affiliated Program of New Jersey; the center was renamed in memory of Elizabeth M. Boggs, Ph.D., in 1997. The Boggs Center's present designation as a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service reflects the evolution of the federal Developmental Disabilities Act, and also recognizes the unique role of The Boggs Center in New Jersey. The Boggs Center serves as a source of innovation and capacity building for supports and services to people with disabilities and their families. For more information, contact gaventwi@umdnj.edu.