PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Incorporation: December 1982 as a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization.

Mission (in part): To serve as an educational and charitable organization serving the economic, social, and adaptation needs of refugees in their adjustment to life in the United States.

Employment & Training

Job development, placement, retention, and case management services. Training for clients is provided in the form of job readiness skills, resume development, career exploration, and customized skills. Training is also provided for employers through cultural sensitivity, staff development, providing job coaching, job upgrading, and new product line skills for employees and other skill development training through Western Technical College - funded by HMAA. Specific one-to-one assistance is provided to individuals with multiple barriers and those receiving W-2 assistance. Assistance in applying for SSI is provided to those eligible for this service.

Family Strengthening

Domestic violence prevention and intervention services. Leadership development through workshops focusing on parenting skills, child development, relationship issues, family law, education, and other issues.

Family & Community Empowerment Training (FACET)

FACET is a multi-agency community effort addressing family violence, parent education, women's leadership development, youth services, immigration, and citizen issues. The HMAA provides the bulk of these services. The HMAA contracts to New Horizons for emergency assistance to women who are victims of domestic violence and to Family Resources for parenting skills training for Hmong families.

Cultural Competency Training & Development

The HMAA provides cultural education and sensitivity trainings for employers and other agencies/institutions.

Mediation Training

The HMAA mediates disputes between families and helps to resolve conflicts within families. This also includes the training of Clan leaders and other Hmong leaders on mediation techniques and how to apply these skills in their assistance to families.

Advisory Councils/Task Forces

The HMAA developed the Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice in January 1990 to address issues of racism in the community. The HMAA also hosts several other task forces/advisory councils. These include:

The HMAA has sponsored several focus groups, workshops/conferences, and public hearings.

YOUTH SERVICES

Southeast Asian Leadership (SEAL)

SEAL is a weekly group based program beginning in October continuing through May. Weekly sessions include prevention and training in areas of independent life skills, job readiness skills, gang prevention and intervention, truancy, grades, tutoring, homework assistance, cultural education, coping with racism/prejudice/discrimination, and leadership development. SEAL is targeted to high school aged school.

Success Through Youth Leadership & Empowerment (STYLE)

STYLE is based on the SEAL program but targets middle school aged youth. STYLE is a twelve week group based program focusing on drug abuse, truancy, behavioral problems, and other at-risk characteristics.

Promoting Respect & Individual Development Early (PRIDE)

A 12 week program targeting middle school aged youth but attempting to identify and intervene at a much earlier level before serious problems arise. PRIDE is a collaborative effort between the HMAA and the La Crosse School District.

Multicultural Youth Council (MYC)

MYC was developed in 1989 at the request from youth of color. These youth approached the HMAA with concerns regarding racial tension in the community. Youth asked for assistance in providing proactive services to prevent and/or resolve racial issues. The HMAA developed the MYC as a means for youth themselves to actively address these concerns. The HMAA educates MYC members on their culture/heritage and that of other youth in the community. This includes Hmong and other Southeast Asian cultures, African American, Native American, European American, and others depending on the ethnicity of members at that time. MYC members have included representatives from all the above groups as well as Latino, Bangladeshian, and others. The MYC has become well known for cultural and racism reduction presentations for schools and other agencies/institutions. Several presentations are provided each month. Schools are very supportive in allowing students excused absences for the presentations they are involved with.

Caring & Accepting Relationships of Empowerment (CARE)

CARE is a peer education training course focusing on sexual assault prevention. CARE is an eight week training program for high school students interested in gaining an education on these issues and developing presentation skills. The cultural focus is on preventing early marriages. Youth completing the CARE program become presenters on sexual assault prevention to middle and high school aged youth.

Young Leaders of Tomorrow (YLT)

YLT is the HMAA's most recently developed youth program. YLT targets youth with leadership skills and/or youth interested in developing these skills. This middle school program focuses on the ones who are doing well in school and wish to pursue extra curricular skill development activities. YLT is an eight week training and resource awareness program.