Asian American family advocacy center opens in Chicago, a first for the state

The state on Monday opened its first center designed to connect Asian American families with government resources.

“Our family advocacy center will serve as a one-stop shop for information, connection and support with programs to strengthen families and help them maintain stability in this country,” said Hong Liu, executive director of the Midwest Asian Health Association, which will operate the center at 218 W. 26th St. in Armour Square.

The nonprofit “is a trusted community organization for providing resources with respect, care and support,” Liu said.

The center will offer case management services, parenting support groups, health insurance enrollment, a food pantry, immunizations and monthly health screenings.

The center will also support family reunifications and stabilize foster placements. Services will be available in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanish.

It will serve Chicago’s Asian American community with funding from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Liu said.

“Among all populations, Asian immigrant families are the least likely to seek help from mainstream resources,” Liu said during the center’s opening event on Monday, pointing to language and cultural barriers.

The Midwest Asian Health Association currently provides health education and preventive health care services, such as screenings, immunizations, annual checkups, lab testing and doctor referrals.

Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times

Family advocacy centers are a statewide network of community-based providers with the objective of supporting families to keep them out of the state’s child welfare system. These groups tailor their preventive services to the specific needs of the communities they serve. There are 38 family advocacy centers in Illinois and they accept referrals from DCFS and other community stakeholders.

In addition to running the family advocacy center, the Midwest Asian Health Association received a $287,000 DCFS grant.

Also at Monday’s event was Grace Hou, a state deputy governor; Heidi Muller, director of DCFS; state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago; state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago; Ada Tong, chief of Asian American services for DCFS; and Jeongling Liu, the board president of the Midwest Asian Health Association.

Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times