Behavioral health disparities continue to impact vulnerable populations, particularly Asian and Asian-American communities in California and individuals at risk of suicide nationwide. Despite making up 17.2% of California’s population, groups such as Vietnamese, Hmong, and Laotian individuals face persistent barriers to care, including stigma and underdiagnosis. Meanwhile, suicide remains a leading cause of death for Americans under 55, with nearly 50,000 deaths and 1.5 million attempts in 2023—highlighting the urgent need for culturally responsive and system-level interventions.

This session presents two innovative, evidence-based approaches to tackling these challenges. Covered California is using race/ethnicity and claims data from 1.8 million enrollees to inform culturally tailored strategies, such as expanding linguistically competent provider networks and partnering with community organizations. Simultaneously, the Mental Health Research Network is enhancing the Zero Suicide model by developing quality measures tied to screening, safety planning, and follow-up care using EHR data from integrated health systems. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and adaptable tools to advance equitable behavioral health care in their own organizations.