Asian Association Of Utah

THE REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT CENTER AT THE ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF UTAH (RIC-AAU) WAS FOUNDED IN 1977 AND IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION LOCATED IN SALT LAKE CITY. ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORT ASIAN IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN THEIR TRANSITION TO LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE ORGANIZATION HAS EXPANDED ITS RESOURCES AND SERVICES OVER THE PAST 37 YEARS TO ASSIST REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. TODAY, WE SERVE OVER 2,000 REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS EACH YEAR. WITH OVER 60 STAFF MEMBERS, OUR BACKGROUNDS COVER 17 COUNTRIES AND OVER 30 LANGUAGES. WE ARE DEVOTED TO HELPING CLIENTS BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, AND AIM TO REDUCE THE BARRIERS THAT REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS FACE WHEN ADAPTING TO LIFE IN THE U.S. WITH THE HELP OF STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, WE ARE CONTINUALLY DEVELOPING AND EXPANDING OUR SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS. WE OFFER COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES IN ONE PHYSICAL LOCATION, RE

REFUGEE EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL SERVICES EMPLOYMENT: DIRECT EMPLOYMENT SERVICES ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE NEW EVIDENCE-BASED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, INDIVIDUALIZED PLACEMENT SERVICES (IPS). THE PROGRAM HAS SERVED OVER 30 CLIENTS IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, PLACING APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE CLIENTS INTO PART TIME OR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT. OUR EMPLOYMENT TEAM ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED OVER 100 EMPLOYER CONNECTIONS IN 57+ DIFFERENT EMPLOYMENT SECTORS INCLUDING FOOD SERVICE, COSMETOLOGY TRAINING, DATA COMMUNICATIONS, PRODUCTION, MANUFACTURING, TOURISM, AND MORE. SUNNYVALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER: THE SUNNYVALE NEIGHBORHOOD OF SALT LAKE COUNTY IS HOME TO MANY REFUGEE, IMMIGRANT, AND LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. IT IS IN WEST MILLCREEK. IN 2012, THE ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR A PROGRAM BASED WITHIN THE SUNNYVALE NEIGHBORHOOD FOLLOWING CONCERNS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS COULD NOT ACCESS MUCH NEEDED SUPPORTS AND PROGRAMMING. TODAY, THE SUNNYVALE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER OFFERS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, SPORTS, AND AN ACCESS FOR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBER TO UTILIZE THE SPACE. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, OVER 75 ADULTS AND 75 YOUTH NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS CAME TO THE CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE THROUGH DIRECT PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. SOCIAL SERVICES: THE ORGANIZATION'S SOCIAL SERVICES CASE MANAGERS WORK TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN REFUGEES AND THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR INTEGRATION IN THE U.S. THEY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH LEGAL MATTERS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH COVERAGE, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, AND OTHER CRITICAL MATTERS. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED A CLEAR PATH TO INTEGRATION FOR 74 REFUGEE, ASYLEE, VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING, AND PAROLEES THIS YEAR. YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES: PROGRAMMING INCLUDES A HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT YOUTH AND THEIR PARENTS AS THEY ADJUST TO NEW SYSTEMS IN THE U.S. THE ORGANIZATION'S YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAM PROVIDES PARENTING CLASSES, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND YOUTH CASE MANAGEMENT. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, 55 PARENTS LEARNED NEW FAMILY SKILLS THROUGH OUR PARENTING CLASSES, WHICH WAS OFFERED IN THREE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES PROVIDING OVER 100 HOURS OF PROGRAMING. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED OVER 2000 HOURS OF DIRECT SERVICE TO 150+ YOUTH AND PARENTS BY OFFERING AFTERSCHOOL AND MENTORING PROGRAMMING.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) & LIFE SKILLS AAU PROVIDES THREE LEVELS OF CLASSES FOR ESL LEARNERS FROM NON-LITERATE TO INTERMEDIATE. THESE CLASSES ARE ALL TAUGHT BY TESOL CERTIFIED TEACHERS. ALL OF OUR CLASSES ARE FREE. WE FOCUS ON LIFE SKILLS FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS WITH THE GOAL OF THE STUDENT BEING ABLE TO GAIN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO GET A JOB AND BE SELF-SUPPORTING. WE EMPHASIZE DIGITAL SKILLS INCLUDING WRITING A RESUME, APPLYING FOR A JOB AND FINDING JOB RESOURCES ONLINE. ALL OUR CLASSES ARE ACCESSIBLE VIRTUALLY, THUS ALLOWING FLEXIBILITY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE DEALING WITH JOBS, CHILD-CARE ISSUES, ETC. FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE SERVED 120 STUDENTS EITHER IN PERSON OR THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL CLASSES. WE HAVE AN EVENING CLASS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO ATTEND AN IN-PERSON CLASS AND WHOSE SCHEDULES DON'T ALLOW THEM TO ATTEND DURING THE DAY. ALL OF THESE OPTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE OUR ESL CLASSES ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO ATTEND.

COMMUNITY WELLNESS AAU IS LICENSED BY THE UTAH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS) AND FUNDED BY STATE, LOCAL, AND PRIVATE FUNDING TO PROVIDE LOW-BARRIER ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AGES 12 AND ABOVE. THE COMMUNITY WELLNESS PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEAM WHO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS USING EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS WHICH PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND/OR VARIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESSES. SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND THERAPY, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, OUTPATIENT DRUG AND SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELING FOR BOTH VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS, AND TARGETED BEHAVIORAL CASE MANAGEMENT. IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, AAU SERVED 651 CLIENTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE STATE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDES 647 HOURS OF NEW EVALUATIONS, 2944 HOURS OF INDIVIDUAL THERAPY SESSIONS, 1832 HOURS OF CASE MANAGEMENT, AND 532 HOURS OF MEDICATION MANAGEMENT.

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) PROGRAM THE TIP PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH MULTIPLE FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS. THROUGH THESE GRANTS, WE ARE ABLE TO SERVE ALL VICTIMS OF BOTH SEX AND LABOR TRAFFICKING-REGARDLESS OF AGE, GENDER, AND IMMIGRATION STATUS. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, WE SERVED 137 PRIMARY SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING WITH AN ADDITIONAL 88 SECONDARY SURVIVORS FOR A TOTAL OF 225 INDIVIDUALS. CASE MANAGERS UTILIZE A COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES MODEL THAT ADDRESSES 17 COMPONENTS OF VICTIM NEEDS. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAP AROUND SERVICES, WE PROVIDED 748 SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO 111 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH 230 VISITS TO TIP'S WEEKLY -DROP IN" CENTER; PROVIDED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TO 13 SURVIVORS THROUGH THE MASTER LEASE CONTRACT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF SALT LAKE CITY; PROVIDED A PATHWAY TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR 80+ SURVIVORS; TRAINED 1955+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS; CO-HOSTED A STATEWIDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE WITH 1300 + ATTENDEES; ESTABLISHED 176+ NEW COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS; WITH OUTREACH EFFORTS RESULTING IN 164 NEW CLIENT REFERRALS TO THE TIP PROGRAM. THIS FISCAL YEAR TIP RECEIVED TWO NEW FEDERAL GRANTS ONE FOCUSED ON TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND ONE RENEWING THE UTAH TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (UTIP) TASK FORCE. AS THE LEAD VICTIM SERVICES PARTNER FOR THE UTIP TASK FORCE, AAU'S TIP HAS PARTNERED WITH THE UTAH ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SINCE 2015 TO CO-FACILITATE THE STATEWIDE TASK FORCE. THIS MULTI-DISCIPLINARY GROUP AIMS TO ENHANCE UTAH'S RESPONSE TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTION, AND ONGOING VICTIM SERVICES.