Community Defined Evidence Practice in Fresno, CA: The Hmong Helping Hands Intervention Project

Although past research has documented the presence of psychological traumas and mental illnesses among certain refugee and immigrant groups, much less is known about the kinds of interventions that can help to reduce mental illnesses among underserved and inappropriately served vulnerable populations such as Hmong former refugees. We describe an innovative community defined evidence practice project in Fresno, Merced, and Stockton, California and examine its impact on 104 Hmong adults’ and older adults’ mental health. Results showed positive outcomes for psychological improvements and maintenance of Hmong values despite Hmong participants’ past experiences with numerous traumas. We argue that an intervention strategy that identifies and draws on a group’s culture as protective factors and that is appropriately implemented by culturally and linguistically competent staff can have the potential to improve the mental health conditions of Hmong adults and older adults. By taking account of Hmong former refugees’ experiences with historical traumas and by examining the impact of this culturally innovative health intervention on their mental health, our study makes an important contribution to the literature on immigrant and refugee trauma and mental health.