Community Resources
and
Helpful Links
These resources
were compiled through the hard work of many of my students.
The comments represent the student that identified the resource below and while
all resources may be helpful for all people, he or she decided if the resources
were more culturally sensitive to their own culture.
Thank you for helping us to understand your culture and where to turn for help.
| Culture | Community Resource | Contact Information | Comments | |
| RELATIONSHIPS | ||||
| Marriage Difficulties | ||||
| General | The Relationship Center for Marriage Counseling | 1-866-Relates www.relationshipcenter formarriagecounseling.com/ |
In American culture, it is considered okay
and normal to get outside help from a counselor, when the issue of
divorce and separation arise in the family.
|
|
| Egyptian | Saint Marys Coptic Catholic Church | 102 Fowler St, Northridge CA 91324 (818) 862-4125 Make appointment with priest via telephone, no fee. | Going outside the family is usually not encouraged. The church is the next closest thing to the family. | |
| Latino | St. Joseph’s Catholic Church | 550 N. Glendora Av,
La Puente (626) 336-2001; www.stjosephlapuente.org Call for an appointment with a priest. There are no fees. |
Much emphasis is on the family and outside help is only gaining popularity with contemporary times. Generations born and raise in the American culture are more apt in accepting and going to professional counseling. | |
|
In my culture we do not consider going to outside help for any family problem solving. Maybe its because it's nobody's business but the family and/or because it costs too much for something that most likely can be solved within the family or with a close relative who has been in similar situations. Many Latinos do not go because it's too expensive, too far, inconvenient to work schedules, or they may not be familiar with therapy. | |||
| Divorce | ||||
| German | "The only place I can think of that would be of any useful help, is from a friend |
In a German culture, the family is taught to
never go outside for help. Usually the family is taught to learn how to
deal with their problems on an individual basis, but if the problem so happens to become too big, then it is ok to go to the immediate family. German culture never goes to family outside the immediate family with any concerns. For the most part, you are taught to figure it out on your own. |
||
| Gay and Lesbian Relationships | ||||
| Latino | Tongues | www.tonguesmagazine.org (323) 468-1097 |
Multi-dimensional organization focusing on fighting racism, sexism, homophobia, and all other oppressive forces that don’t allow people to be free and protected from discrimination. | |
| General Relationship | ||||
| Asian Indian American |
Jamat E. Masjidul Islam Inc. 820 Java
Street, Inglewood, CA 90301, CA (310) 672-0773 |
website:
www.geocities.com/jamat_e_masjidul_islam email: arshedqazi@yahoo.com |
In the culture it’s not proper to “air out your dirty laundry” in public. People go to an immediate family member usually a parent or older sibling that could give both advice on how to fix or resolve these problems that are getting in the way of pursuing the relationship further or to the next level. It’s not proper for everyone to know what is going on in the relationship. The last source would be a Mullah (Priest) at the Mosque (Church) which would act as counselor or therapist to help couple figure out why they don't get along or agree on anything. | |
| Infidelity | ||||
| African American | Faithful Central Bible Church | 333 W. Florence Ave.
Inglewood, A 90301, (310)330-8000, Provides free counseling from various
qualified and trained professionals for most family matters/difficulties
including but not limited to divorce. |
In the African-American culture, most
of the time divorce is the very last resort. Couples normally try to work
it out, and even if they don't, they stay married and just separate for a
period of time. But in these hard times, blacks usually seek help through church
and/or a pastor. The pastor will usually give them some type of advice and counsel the couple to get things out in the open and let them know that the situation can be remedied. |
|
| Domestic Violence | ||||
| General | National Domestic Violence Hotline |
1-800-799-SAFE | ||
| Haven Hills | Help line: 818-887-6589 www.HavenHills.com If you don't live in the San Fernando Valley or L.A. area you can call 1-800-799-SAFE |
Serves victims of domestic violence in the San Fernando Valley area. Providing safety, support and helping their victims work through the cycle of abuse. They offer shelter, crisis intervention and counseling. Most of their counseling services are free of charge and their help lines are 24 hours. | ||
| African American | Family Service Agency | 1669 N E Street, San Bernardino, CA (909) 886-6737 Counseling for adult and children survivors of violence and abuse in the family. Work closely with shelter agencies. | The first attempt is to solve most situations as a family unit. With situations such as abuse this culture encourages going outside the family for additional help. After they have received additional help the family is still there as a cushion of support. | |
| Japanese American | Little Tokyo Service Center | 231
E. 3rd St. Suite G104, Los Angeles, CA, 90013 (213) 473-1602 http://www.ltsc.org/index.htm |
Federal and Corporate grants, private donations, fund raising programs, and volunteers support LTSC. LTSC has Nikkei Family Counseling Program including domestic violence support group meetings and telephone helplines. | |
| Latino | Coalitions | 1030 North Ventura Rd., Oxnard CA Telephone numbers: 805 983-6014 or 24 hr hotline 805 656-1111 Services: support groups, counseling, anger management classes, etc. Call or walk in, some fees are involved. |
The Latino culture strongly reinforces
dealing with this or any other problems within the family and strongly
discourage members to go outside the family system. Going to outside
resources is shown as a lack of stamina. |
|
| Centro de Justicia Para Mujeres (Women’s Justice Center) | 250 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa
California, 95407. (707)
575-3150 http://www.justicewomen.com/
|
a) : In most Latino families, the concept of “Machismo” plays an important role in the daily activities of a couple. The man usually believes that he is superior to the woman and that he should be in charge of her affairs. Many times a man’s attempt to portray himself as “Macho” can lead to domestic violence, as he can not fathom the idea of a woman not taking orders from him. In many traditional Latino households, the woman is afraid/embarrassed to bring up the issue of domestic violence outside the house and tries to deal with it on her own. However, ignoring this ugly beast, a.k.a. domestic violence can lead to more problems. It can escalate to a point where one person can endanger the other person’s life. | ||
| St. Frances X. Cabrini Catholic Church |
1440 West Imperial Highway Los Angeles, CA
90047-4997 (323) 757-0271 Free of cost for the community. |
In the Mexican culture we like to keep family problems within the family and among our religion. We ask our elders for advice even though we might not take it. We don’t live in a culture in which only the nuclear family is involved. We have a close relationship with our extended family. |
||
| The Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council (Valley Oasis Shelter) | P.O. Box 2980Lancaster, CA 93539 Business: 661-949-1916 Hotline: 661-945-636 | Since most instances of abuse in the Latino culture would be the husband towards the wife, the wife would be the victim not seeking help. According to culture, it is best to keep marital problems -- abuse included -- within the family and to not speak of it with others. | ||
| Filipino American | Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence | 942
Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco. California 94102 Tel 415-954-9964 Fax 415-954-9999 Website: www.apiahf.org Email: apidv@apiahf.org |
In regards to going outside the family for help, the culture believes that if the situation is not too severe, the family can handle whatever the problem is. In cases such as domestic violence, the Filipino culture believes that the family should be able to resolve their own problems. Only when cases become severe, should the family go outside the family for help. | |
| Persian | Grace
Center |
P.O. Box 70826
Pasadena, CA 91117-7826 Phone: 626.355.4545
E-mail: gracecenter@earthlink.net
Website: www.grace-center.org This center offers 24-hour emergency response, crisis intervention, counseling, and evaluation, complete confidentiality and anonymity, support groups with free child care, advocacy with social service, legal and judicial systems. Grace Center is free of charge. |
Many Middle Easterners do not feel it is appropriate to go outside the family unit for help. They sometimes see it as dishonoring the family. This is especially relevant when it comes to domestic violence. In this male-dominated culture many people believe that a woman should be submissive to her husband. The husband is the head of the household and what he says goes. Therefore people would not be very accepting of a woman who leaves the household and reports on violence she has received from her husband | |
| Rape | ||||
| General | The Rape Crisis Center | 4161 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306, 24 hour hotline number: (650) 493-7273 or (408) 245-3414, E-mail address: info@ywcamid.org, Website: www.ywcamid.org/rcc/ | The website contains a reading list of books and articles that may be useful. They listed different myths about rape, statistics, and studies to help. There is also a section for legislation and legal information regarding the rights of women. | |
| Los Angeles Commission Assaults Against Women (LACAAW) | The
Mid-San Fernando Valley Center is located on 7555 Van Nuys Boulevard,
Suite 126 in Van Nuys. 818-787-4778 www.lacaaw.org |
LACAAW is a non-profit, multi-cultural, feminist, community-based volunteer organization. They wish to eliminate violence against women, youth and children through social change, equality and social justice. They have several approaches: education, prevention and intervention. | ||
| CHILDREN | ||||
| Abuse of Children | ||||
| General | The National Children’s Advocacy Center |
The National Children's
Advocacy Center |
At the Children’s Center, law enforcement, public child protective services, prosecution, mental health, medical and educational agencies work together under one roof, as a multidisciplinary team, to respond in a coordinated way to child abuse | |
| Interface Children Family Services Of Ventura | 1305 Del Norte Rd., Camarillo, CA (805)486-6114 | Offers many programs to children who need help dealing with their problems and families who also need help. This program is funded by the government and donations. Anyone who needs help will get the help they need, sometimes at no cost. | ||
| School Difficulties (including Learning Disabilities) | ||||
| General | Sylvan Learning Center |
|
Parental
involvement is critical in learning.
The child and parent should find out what the troubles are.
Is the child not doing homework or does he or she have poor testing
skills, or is the issue a real learning disability that needs diagnosing
and treatment? A trained
professional should be consulted for more assistance in either case. |
|
| Autism: LA FEAT (Los Angeles Families for Effective Autism Treatment) |
600 23rd Street, Manhattan
Beach, CA 90266 |
They offer chat forums for parents, news articles, and resources such as: educational programs, legal information, and research links. It is a free resource for the parents and by the parents. | ||
| Accidental Poisoning | ||||
| General | National Capital Poison Center | 1-800-222-1222
TDD
number for the deaf is |
Operates 24 hours a day and offers interpreters in over 140 languages. When you call this number, you should have the original container that the material came in. You will be asked for your name, phone number and zip code and relationship to the child who ingested the poison. This information is only for the purposes of getting back in touch quickly in case they need to get further assistance. They do not keep records of the people who call. You should also have the exact name of the product, the size of the container, the strength of the product, when the exposure occurred and for how long. They will also need the weight and height of the child, or the person who ingested the substance. There is no charge for these services. | |
| Teen Pregnancy | ||||
| General | Planned Parenthood |
Information on family planning, sexual
education, reproductive health needs, sexual assault, emergency
contraception, and most importantly a place where teens can chat about
anything they want to regarding any of these issues.
|
Usually teens in the American culture often go outside the family for help | |
| Latino | if they chose to go outside
the family:
The California Wellness Foundation |
6320 Canoga Ave Suite 1700 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (818) 593-6600 www.tcwf.org |
The culture does not approve of having children out of wedlock, and also not dating out of her race. The girl could be disowned by her family and an outcast from her culture. The Latino culture believes strongly in marriage, and a lot of Latino's are Catholics. The girl's culture would expect the family not to go outside the family for help. This type of problem would most likely be dealt within the family. If the problem would be taken outside the family the farthest it would go, is to close friends of the family or even their local church. | |
| Holy Family Services (Adoption Agency) | 80 East Hillcrest Avenue, Suite 210 Thousand Oaks CA 91360 (805) 835-5551 |
The culture likes to keep things inside the family. They would never think of going outside the family for anything unless it was the church. But only if the problem is something that the family can’t handle then the family would ask assistance from the church. | ||
| FAMILIES | ||||
| Medical Services to Low Income Families | ||||
| Latino | Clinica Romero |
123 South Alvarado Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90057 (213) 989-7700
FAX (213)989-7701 |
This clinic was founded in order to serve uninsured multi-ethnic and multi-racial populations in the area. It is a State-licensed, FQHC-Federally Qualified Healthcare Center that accepts MediCal and DentiCal and offers a wide variety of services | |
| Armenian | Armenian Relief Society: Child, Youth and Family Guidance Center | 517 West Glenoaks Boulevard Glendale, California 91202 Telephone: (818)546-2744 Fax: (818)500-9139 Marriage and family therapy, job placements, applications for filing for a green card and other services for at little or no cost. |
It is
expected that families solve their own problems and to not talk about
their problems with others, even relatives. Therefore, going to a
professional for help and advice on how to solve their problems they have in their family is not common. |
|
| El Nido Family Centers (throughout So. Cal.) the nearest one to Cal State Northridge: 10200 Sepulveda Blvd. #305, Mission Hills, CA |
(818) 830-3646 www.elnidofamilycenters.org Many of the services are free, but some services have fees based on the ability to pay. Serves pregnant teenagers, young parents, and parents struggling to raise their children. |
Many Mexican young girls are scared about telling their parents about their pregnancy. It's only until they can't hide their pregnancy any longer that they tell their parents who at first are upset. Some parents feel their daughters have shammed their families name, and consequently disown their daughters, but most Mexican families accept reality and support their daughters. | ||
| Drug and Alcohol Abuse | ||||
| General | Alcoholics Anonymous | www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/ | Alcoholics Anonymous is located in every city and anyone can go to a meeting free of charge. | |
| Schick Shadel
Hospital |
12101 Ambaum Blvd.
S.W. Seattle, WA. 98146 1 (800) 272-8464 1 (800) CRAVING www.schick-shadel.com/contact.html |
Questions will be answered
immediately Covered by most insurance and Medicare Top verified by effective medical research JCAHO and Medicare Accredited Counseling and Continuing Support |
||
| Betty Ford Center | 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 900-854-9211 www.bettyfordcenter.org | The cost for treatment is approximately $3300.00 per week, and insurance coverage is verified prior to admission. Admission is offered during the night and on weekends, and can be set up via phone | ||
| (for partners of) | Al-Anon Family Groups of Southern California | 4936 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601: 818 760-7122 | Going outside the family for help is highly recommended in my culture. It is the best solution. | |
| Latino | St. Patrick Catholic Church | 6160 Cartwright Avenue, North Hollywood CA 91606 (818) 752-3440 | Most Mexican Americans are religious and will turn to the church for help. | |
| Eating Disorders | ||||
| General | Pasadena Mental Health Center | 1495
N. Lake Avenue, Pasadena Ca 91104. Phone numbers: 626-798-0907 Fax: 626-798-9043 Website: pmch@info.org Contact Person: Fran Wintroub Hours of Operation: 9am-9pm Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm Friday 9am-1pm on Saturdays |
It provides
low cost mental health care for those over 12 years of age in need of
counseling in the following areas: mental health, children and young
adults, teen counseling, family counseling, parenting, eating disorders,
information and referral. |
|
| Jewish American | Cedars-Sinai Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health | Thalians Mental Health Center 8730 Alden drive Los Angeles Ca 90048 310-423-3411 http://www.sedars-sinai.edu/psyc www.csmc.edu/mentalhealth |
The Jewish culture, being a culture where family is very important as well as the well being of children, would do whatever it takes to help a child with a disorder such as Anorexia. A Jewish family who is dealing with this kind of disorder would definitely go outside the family for help of necessary. | |
| Financial | ||||
| Filipino-American | The Filipino-American Service Group, Inc. |
135
N.Park View Street |
In Filipino culture, people are encouraged to look towards other family members for help. It may not necessarily be an immediate family member; it can be a good friend, cousin, uncle, or aunt, usually of older age (as the saying goes: “the older, the wiser”). Most Filipinos have too much pride to confide with someone outside of the family, such professionals or counselors. They have these impressions that if they themselves can’t deal with their own problems, then why pay someone who will most likely come up with the same solution? Filipinos also don’t want “their dirty laundry” aired out or becoming a statistic in someone’s book. | |
| Jewish American | United Jewish Communities (UJC), represents 189 Jewish Federations and 400 independent communities across North America | Western Area
Regional Office: 14724 Ventura Boulevard, Suite #350 175 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite #A 1827 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818-386-0100 western_region@ujc.org |
The Jewish culture promotes seeking help in the same manner as providing aid to the needy. Many people donate money and other assets to various organizations so that other Jews can benefit. Special programs are set up, aid is offered, and rabbis or other figures are there to support whomever seeks help. | |
| Elder Care | ||||
| Latino | Cambridge Home Health Care | 3500 West
Market St. Fairlawn, Ohio 44333 (800) 704-2370 chcca@aol.com |
In the Mexican American culture it is okay to seek additional help to take care of the elderly. But it is not okay to drop off the elderly at some convalescent then just forget about them. | |
| African American (Alzheimer’s disease) | Thousand Oaks Residential Care Home (Torch). | 45 Erbes Rd, Thousand Oaks Ca 91362 (805)495-4657 | According to African American culture it is customary to take care of the family member. There comes a time when twenty-four hour care is needed. | |
| Polish Catholic | Catholic Health Care | www.chausa.org/ They have a directory for all types of health care facilities that offer all types of long term care (rated and approved). |
The Polish catholic family has always cared for their elderly themselves and it is very difficult to believe a facility is the best thing for the elderly (even on a temporary basis). | |
| Death | ||||
| Mixed cultures | Phat Hoc Vien – Buddhist Meditation Center | 9250
Columbus St. Sepulveda CA, 91343 There is no real cost for their services, but a “donation” should be made. Monks are also available for counsel, to anyone, regardless of race, or religion. Their services are easily attainable, you can just show up and speak with them, they are very hospitable, and usually friendly. |
Being a person of mixed cultural backgrounds my family encountered many difficult problems. My father is Chinese, and my mother is half Filipino, half Chinese, but our family lived in the Philippines, so we retained, and practiced many Filipino and Chinese customs when we moved to America. Being that my father was Chinese he was Buddhist, and my mother being Filipino was Catholic (which is predominantly the case for both cultures, they are best described as an intertwined relationship). | |
| OTHER CHALLENGES | ||||
| Keeping Culture Alive | ||||
| Armenian | ARARAT Chapter | 3347 N. San Fernando Rd., Glendale, CA 323-256-2564 www.ararat.org | There is a membership fee of $120 per year for kids under 18. And $72 for kids over 18. Organizations are societies of their own with the purpose of keeping their culture alive. | |
| . | ||||
| FINDING A THERAPIST | ||||
| Marriage and Family Therapist | www.therapistLocator.net | The listed therapists are Clinical Members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. | The directory provides information on the therapist's office locations and availability, practice description, education, professional licenses, health plan participation, achievements and awards and languages spoken. | |
| FINDING A THERAPIST |