Rockville, MD – The American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) has named three nonprofit organizations and one individual as the recipients of the fifth annual APF Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health. The awards were presented at the 2008 APF Annual Benefit in Washington, D.C. Each organization or individual was presented a plaque, along with an award of $5,000 in honor of their work and commitment to advancing minority mental health. The awards are made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

The following individual and organizations received an award:

• Francis G. Lu, M.D. received an award for his work in the Department of Psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) where he has worked since 1977. Dr. Lu developed the Ethnic/ Minority Psychiatric Inpatient Programs at SFGH and is one of the founding Board members of the National Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health Association. He produced a DVD titled “The Culture of Emotions” that was based on the DSM-IV Outline for Cultural Formulation. He is also a member of the California State Department of Mental Health, Cultural Competence Advisory Committee.

• Homes for the Brave in Bridgeport, CT received an award for providing housing and services to homeless male veterans and non-veterans who struggle with psychiatric and/or substance abuse problems. Homes for the Brave (HFTB) provides case management, vocational education and training, job assistance, and community life skills training. Through its services and collaborations, HFTB strives to prepare homeless individuals with the life skills necessary to reenter the world as productive members of society.

• Housing Works in Brooklyn, NY received an award for the work it is doing to ensure that homeless and lowincome people living with HIV/AIDS and their families have adequate housing, food, social support, drug treatment, health care, and employment. Housing Works administers mental health services that address the needs of triply diagnosed people living with HIV/AIDS who are also mentally ill and chemically dependent. Mental health care services are provided for a total of 130 clients per year at three New York licensed AIDS Adult Day Health Care programs. The sites provide primary care, syringe exchange, and supportive services to HIV positive adults.

• Tristan’s Quest – Support for Kids of Incarcerated Parents (SKIP) Initiative in Greensboro, NC received an award for leading the community to increase awareness of the mental and physical health risks faced by children whose parent(s) are incarcerated. At the SKIP Initiative, children are given a safe place to share their emotions about having a parent in prison. Throughout the school year, a variety of topics is covered, including making good choices, setting goals, self-esteem, and how it feels to miss the incarcerated parent. In May 2007, 78 children (85% of whom were African American) were attending SKIP groups at eight elementary schools.

The American Psychiatric Foundation is also pleased to announce that four organizations have received an Honorable Mention for the 2008 Advancing Minority Mental Health Awards.

• Barstow Acres Children’s Center in Frederick, MD is being honored for providing mental health and enrichment services to children and families. Barstow Acres provides a 4-week summer camp that promotes mental health in children. The camp specializes in providing anger management and the development of social skills and various therapies that include play therapy, art therapy, sandplay therapy and pet therapy.

• Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) in Chicago, IL is being honored for consistently implementing successful, innovative approaches to provide mental health services to underserved and minority populations throughout its 35-year history. These strategies include: actively recruiting staff and clinical leadership to reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of its population served; hiring parent advocates to breakdown cultural and racial barriers to treatment; and engaging in partnerships with other agencies to reach ethnic populations culturally resistant to mental health services. Today, three-quarters of individuals reached by C4 behavioral health services are African-American, Hispanic, Asian or of mixed race.

• Student National Medical Association at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN is being honored for its dedication to the recruitment and retention of minority medical students; the development of culturally competent and clinically excellent physicians; and the delivery of healthcare in the underserved populations.

• Venice Family Clinic’s (VFC) Mental Health Program in Venice, CA is being honored for providing mental health services to nearly 2,500 people who are low-income, uninsured, or homeless who are without other access to care. The clinic provides a range of services from individual therapy to support groups. In the past five years, the Clinic has strengthened its expertise and specialty care capacity with volunteers and community organizations and has launched a psychiatry residency training program with UCLA.

“We are proud to support the Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health as part of our commitment to help eliminate health disparities among underserved populations,” said Hiromi Yoshikawa, chairman and chief executive officer of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. “Otsuka congratulates the award recipients and applauds their efforts toward advancing minority mental health.”

“I congratulate all of the recipients of the Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health, said Richard K. Harding, M.D., American Psychiatric Foundation President. “It is through this award that APF recognizes the commendable efforts of individuals and organizations that are making mental health services available to underserved populations.”

About the Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health

The American Psychiatric Foundation Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health honor psychiatrists and mental health programs that are undertaking special efforts to increase public awareness of mental health care, increasing access to mental health services, and enhancing the quality of care for underserved minorities, especially those who suffer from severe mental illness.

About the American Psychiatric Foundation

The American Psychiatric Foundation is the philanthropic and educational arm of the American Psychiatric Association. The mission of the foundation is to advance understanding that mental illnesses are real and can be effectively treated. For more information, please visit the foundation’s Web site at www.psychfoundation.org.

About Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI) is a successful, innovative, fast-growing healthcare company that commercializes Otsuka-discovered and other product opportunities in North America, with a strong focus on and commitment to neuroscience, cardiovascular, oncologic, and gastrointestinal therapeutic treatments. OAPI is dedicated to improving patients’ health and the quality of human life. The company is part of the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group, which is comprised of 99 companies and approximately 31,000 people in 18 countries and regions around the world. Otsuka and its consolidated subsidiaries earned US$7.2 billion in annual revenues in fiscal 2006. OAPI is wholly owned by Otsuka America, Inc. (OAI), which is the holding company for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s (OPC) interests in the US. OAI is wholly owned by OPC. For additional information, please visit www.otsuka-us.com.