Asian Association of Utah

The mission of the Asian Association of Utah (AAU) is to engage, equip, and empower refugees, refugee youth, and human trafficking survivors to become self-­sufficient and thrive. Central to our mission is the belief that individuals flourish when given the tools and skills they need to become integrated, successful members of their communities. Across our three program pillars of Human Trafficking Support, Refugee Services, and Behavioral Health, we provide services designed to promote long-term stability, empowerment, and success for every client we serve. Our work is trauma-informed and linguistically sensitive, delivered by specialized staff who journey with each individual and family as they transition to life in Utah. 

Human Trafficking Support: Human trafficking is a much larger problem in Utah than most people realize. Each year, law enforcement across the state refers over 1,000 victims to AAU from operations they and others run to arrest traffickers. AAU then receives the survivor, provides emergency shelter/food/clothing/care, and begins an individualized service plan to help them begin their journey to recovery and thriving. The benefit to the community is both for the victims and society overall. Victims get the care they need and the community ensures the victims do not become homeless and victimized again. AAU is the only organization in Utah focusing on labor trafficking victims and the demand is increasing. In FY2025, we served more than 1,400 trafficking survivors, delivered 34,366+ individual services, and welcomed 1,995 visits to our weekly drop-in center. 

Refugee Services: In the past year, Utah welcomed over 1,700 refugees who received direct assistance from resettlement organizations. Refugees and refugee youth often face trauma, limited English proficiency, unemployment, and social isolation within their new communities. AAU provides refugees with a "hand up," equipping them with the skills and support needed to build self-sufficiency, rather than a one-time "hand out". We work closely with the Governor of Utah's appointed State Refugee Coordinator to provide dedicated case management, English language training, workforce development, youth mentoring, afterschool programs for refugee and immigrant youth, interpretation services, and parenting education to many refugee communities. In the past year, AAU helped resettle 175 refugees, provided $697,000 in rental assistance, matched over 100 refugee youth with mentors, served 180 refugee youth in afterschool programs, graduated 145 parents from refugee parenting classes, and taught 223 refugee adults English. 

Behavioral Health: Almost all refugees arrive with significant trauma. This trauma often hinders or prevents them from thriving in their new home country. With specialized therapy from our trauma-informed and culturally relevant therapists, this trauma can be managed so the refugees can begin their journey to self-sufficiency and thriving. Our services include outpatient mental health, substance use, and domestic violence services, language support services, individual and group psychotherapy, medication management, and Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid. In the past year, this program served over 430 clients, providing 3,965 therapy sessions, with over 620 sessions of case management and over 330 appointments for medication management.