Project AWARE is a mixed-methods research study that seeks to identify barriers and facilitators to mental health care access for Asian American youth in the New York City metropolitan area. Guided by a Youth Advisory Board of Asian American teens, this project centers youth perspectives to better understand and address mental health service use disparities among Asian American youth and families.

Project AWARE is supported in part by the Asian American / Asian Research Institute's 2026 CUNY Faculty Research Support Program.

“Through my participation in the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) for Project AWARE, I was able to experience the full life of a study, from IRB to design to a presentable project... Thanks to the open, welcoming culture cultivated by the Lab for Youth Trauma Recovery, I felt comfortable expressing my true opinions, and gained a much deeper understanding of how important direct communication is in a lab setting. I also learned a lot about Asian American youth mental health by being on the YAB. Although I had anecdotal experience with higher rates of mental health issues in Asian American youth, seeing concrete statistics attached felt reassuring... Overall, I learned a lot [of] skills needed for research, like communication and writing, and was able to serve my community through my participation on the YAB.”

-       Rowan C, 2025-2026 YAB member

“Project Aware YAB would be a group I would join if I had to do it all again. To be able to do research that addressed issues within the very community I was associated with was something I did not expect to do this past year... The study directly addressed the gaps in research of Asian American Youth and how little current literature focuses on a diverse community to creating treatments. Something that continues to stick with me is research being applicable, useful, and relevant is the prime goal of research. Joining the YAB was something that felt right and by continuing on after the quantitative study was launched, it created the opportunity to reach out to others. Even with school [responsibilities], YAB was not an issue in terms of time and I felt like I could stay connected with the team.”

-       Rafael L, 2025-2026 YAB member