If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. • PROGRAM MODELS FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN YOUTH FINAL REPORT TO THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY YOUTH PROGRAM OFFICE 151852 U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization or.ainating it. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been 9!..anted by • mternatlona1 Refugee Center of Oregon to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). UAN 11 1995 Further reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permission of the copyright owner. ACQUISITIONS Principal Investigator: Jeff MacDonald, M.A. Research Assistant: Kelly Can nard, M.S. January 1993 Southeast Asian Youth Services Project International Refugee Center of Oregon 1336 E. Burnside Portland, Oregon 97214 TABLE OF CON'IENTS 41tCknOWledgements iv Executive Summary v Introduction 1 Research Methodology 3 Part I: Needs Assessment 5 Chapter 1: Scope of the Problem 6 A. Southeast Asian Community 6 B. Problems of Youth and Families 10 C. Client Case Studies 19 Chapter 2: Juvenile JustiCe System 22 A. Processing and Decision Points 22 B. Factors Affecting the Disposition of Southeast Asian Youth 27 C. Juvenile Justice Division Programs Serving Southeast Asian Youth 34 • D. Client Follow-Up 37 Chapter 3: Prevention and Early Intervention Youth Services 38 A. Multnomah County Programs Serving Southeast Asian Youth 38 B. Mental Health Services for Southeast Asian Youth in Multnomah County 42 Part II: Model Program Development Plan 44 Chapter 4: National Program Models 45 A. Geographic Overview of Service Provi.ders 45 B. Program Structures 48 C. Program Content for Southeast Asian Youth 56 Chapter 5: Program Models for Multnomah County 60 I- A. Juvenile Justice System 60 I i B. Prevention and Intervention Services 67 C. Service Delivery 77 • 11 Page Chapter 6: Implementation Priorities and Recommendations 80 A. Short Term Priorities 80 B. Long Term Priorities 82 • C. Preliminary SeIVice Provision 83 Appendices 84 Appendix A - Youth Services for Southeast Asian Youth 85 , Appendix B - Mental Health Services for Southeast,Asian Youth 92 Appendix C - Organizations Working with Southeast Asian Youth 97 Appendix D - Counseling Techniques with Southeast Asians 101 References Cited 103 • iii • I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Southeast Asian Youth Services Project would not have been possible to carry out without the help of many people from the Southeast Asian community and from service • providers. We would like to thank in particular community leaders such as Thach Nguyen, Chareundi Van-Si, Nady Tan, Seng Fo Chao, Hongsa Chanthavong, David Lee, Kim Nguyen, Thuy Vanderlinde, Canh Nguyen, Paul Kinh Duong, and Lee Po Cha for their insights, suggestions, recommendations, and review of the preliminary draft of this document Besides these community leaders, many Southeast Asian parents and youth also generously gave of their time to meet with us and candidly speak of their concerns and needs. ' Many others have contributed to this study. fu particular, we would like express our appreciation to members of the Asian Gang Enforcement Team, staff of the Juvenile Justice Division, and bilingual staff of the International Refugee Center of Oregon (IRCO), the State of Oregon Refugee Program, Portland Public Schools, Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR), the Urban League of Portland, Youth Outreach, and the City of Portland. Besides these organizations, many other agencies both in Multnomah County and other states provided valuable information about their programs and how to design and deliver services to Southeast Asian youth and families. Special thanks is also owed to Congressman Ron Wyden and his assistant Kathl}'ll Broderick for helping make the needs of the Southeast Asian ,community a priority by organizing and facilitating the Asian Youth Task Force. This task force brought together people froin the Southeast Asian community, law enforcement,juvenile justice, social service agencies, and the business community. The insights and priorities developed by this task • force have contributed a great deal to this study. This project was funded through a research contract awarded by the Multnomah County Youth Program Office. We wish to thank Mary T. Li at the Youth Program Office for her continuing support of this project However, the findings and recommendations expressed in this report solely reflect the work of the authors and not necessarily the views of the Youth Program Office. The work of two research assistants was centraland.indispensable in carrying out the entire project Kelly Cannard researched and analyzed local and national services and program models for Southeast Asian youth 'and families. Somlay Soukhaseum provided community outreach and valuable insight on the needs of youth and families through her direct service to many clients. Finally, we would like to thank the clerical staff of the International Refugee Center of Oregon for their painstaking work to complete the manuscript and to Rhonda Sater for her technical assistance with the final draft. : • iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Southeast ASian Youth Services Project (SAYSP) began in April 1992 as part of the Oregon Minority Youth Initiative (OMYI) - a three county study of the disproportionate commitment rates of minority youth to tlie stafejuvenile training school. The Multnomah • County Community Children and Youth Services Commission (CCYSC) decided to devote OMYl funding to inipact the existing Multnomah County disproportionate commitment rate of Southeast Asian young people to the state training school. Following this decision the International Refugee Center of Oregon received a contract from the Multnomah County Youth Program Office to carry out research on the services available to Southeast Asian youth through the countY juvenile justice system and through other proViders. This· research examined the cultural backgroun~ ~d family structures of the Southeast Asian community, the causes of rising juvenile delinquency, the decision points in the juvenile justice system which affect the disposition of Southeast Asian youth, and the availability of culturally-competent prevention and intervention services. These findings form the basis for the recommendations on needed services and programs and changes in policy to make the juvenile justice system and social services more culturally appropriate an~ accessible to Southeast Asian youth and families. This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data was supplied by the Oregon Community Children and Youth Services Commission (OCCYSC) . and by the State of Oregon Refugee Program. The qualitative data was gathered by means of ethnographic research methodology, emphasizing intensive, interpretive analysis rather than quantitative, statistical approaches. The principal investigator used such ethnographic techniques as key informant interviews, participant-observation, town hall format community • meetings, and informal surveys. The study is divided into two main sections: (1) needs assessment and (2) the model program development plan. Several appendices follow these sections. Part One: Needs Assessment This section is divided into three chapters covering the scope of the problem, the juvenile justice system, and prevention and early intervention youth services. Chapter One: Scope of the Problem descnoes the refugee experience which brought the Southeast Asians to resettle in Multnomah County. This chapter descnbes first the ethnic diversity of the six major Southeast Asian ethnic groups: Vietnamese, cambodian, Chinese, lowland Lao, and highland Hmong and Mien. This section points out that there is no common language or cultural or religious beliefs which unite the Southeast Asian community. However, there is a common bond from the long social interaction of these groups and the commonality of their refugee experience. Most importantly, even though family structures vary between each group, they share the important values of the importance of the family over the individual, group over individual decision making, and an authoritative parenting style requiring obedience of children .rather than negotiation between ~arents and children. • v Over 22,000 Southeast Asians have resettled in Oregon with most residing in Multnomah County. About 29 % of these are youth under age 18. These figures are based upon the State of Oregon Refugee Program's statistics rather than the U.S. Census which under • counted this population. Each ethnic community is organized around their own ethnic self help organizations (sometimes several for ·each community) known as Mutual Assistance Organizations. There are also churches, temples, student clubs and associations as well as a community-based organization and voluntary agencies providing social and employment services. Each of these are important sources of input and assistance for developing needs ~ssments and services. Numerous social adjustment and acculturation pro~lems face Sou~eastAsian families. Most important is the breakdown of the traditional family structure caused by the isolation and reduction of status of the old, the struggle of the middle generation to survive economically, and the rapid Americanization of youth. Parents, lacking good English skills and