U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and U.S. Representative Judy Chu introduced a resolution on May 12 to recognize May 10, 2026 as National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Mental Health Day.
The resolution aims to highlight the importance of mental health in AANHPI families and communities, as well as the need to raise awareness about mental healthcare access. It also addresses ongoing challenges such as cultural stigma, language barriers, and low rates of mental health service utilization among these populations.
“With suicide rates among Native Hawaiians in Hawaii being close to double the national average and mental health treatment utilization among Asian Americans remaining alarmingly low, it’s clear our AANHPI communities need more mental health support,” said Senator Hirono. “Everyone deserves access to mental health care that is culturally informed and linguistically appropriate, and I’m proud to lead this resolution that calls on us all to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and raise awareness about resources available for AANHPI communities.” Representative Chu said, “For far too long, our AANHPI community has suffered in silence while facing some of the lowest rates of mental health service utilization of any racial or ethnic group in the country. Language barriers, cultural stigma, a lack of culturally competent care, and insufficient disaggregated data have all contributed to this crisis and left far too many people without the support they need.” She added that she is proud to once again lead this resolution recognizing May 10th as National AANHPI Mental Health Day “to reaffirm our commitment to breaking down barriers to care for AANHPI communities.” Chu also addressed recent federal cuts: “As the Trump Administration continues to slash staff and funding at the Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), we must recommit ourselves to expanding access to mental health care and supporting the well-being of our communities.”
Between 2018 and 2024, suicide was reported as the leading cause of death for AANHPI youth ages 15-24—the only racial or ethnic group with this distinction—highlighting a serious public health concern compounded by high healthcare costs, limited literacy around mental illness issues, language challenges in accessing services, and persistent social stigma discouraging individuals from seeking help.
The resolution encourages government agencies involved with public health policy development or delivery—including those serving other marginalized groups—to improve both access to care services for these populations as well as utilization rates within them.
Senator Hirono has supported several initiatives related both specifically toward supporting members from these backgrounds—such as last year’s Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act—and more broadly through legislative efforts promoting Asian Pacific American history education or establishing commissions focused on representation within federal institutions according to her official website.
