White House Honors Phila. Woman For Health Services to Asian Community
By Michelle Durham
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS) -- The White House and the US Department of Health and Human Services today honored a Philadelphia woman who works for a nonprofit organization serving the Asian-American community.
Amy Jones is director of health and social services for the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition ("SEAMAAC"), based near Broad and Morris Streets in South Philadelphia.
"It was a great honor," Jones (second from left in photo) told KYW Newsradio afterward. "I think, for me, it means that a lot of the issues that Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders face when accessing health care in the United States are able to be highlighted."
Statistics show that one in four Korean-Americans is uninsured, and many Asian-Americans have limited access to health care.
Jones says SEAMAAC wants to help with another reason that Asian-Americans don't seek medical treatment when required.
'We want to be a bridge," she said. "We want to work with different medical providers to make sure they are providing language access."
Jones says SEAMAAC sees about 1,000 clients every year, and 6,000 through community outreach efforts.