May is National Mental Health month
This is a time to raise awareness for those living with mental health issues as well as to reduce the stigma around mental health and mental health care. According to the California Health Care Foundation, in 2022 1 in 7 California adults experience a mental illness and 1 in 14 youth experience an emotional disturbance that limits their functioning at home, in school, and in community activities. Close to two-thirds of Californians with mental illnesses are not seeking care and mental illness rates in adults and youth are higher among families and individuals living below the federal poverty lines. This is most likely due to the high cost of mental health care and lack of adequate mental health care resources in lower income communities.
The Los Angeles County (LA County) Department of Mental Health is hoping to combat these statistics by offering resources and services to Angelenos of all ages. For example, they offer a School-Based Community Access Point for youth enrolled in LAUSD schools. This program helps to identify students with mental health or behavioral issues and work with their families to work on coping mechanisms, socio-emotional wellbeing, and referring families to more intensive Medi-Cali supported treatment as needed. For adults in LA County, the Department Mental Health offers access to LA County run wellness centers that focus on trauma recovery as well as prevention and intervention programs that focus on working through immediate mental health concerns and creating strategies with patients to establish a healthy future.
Proper mental health care is the first step to ensuring a healthier future for Californians. Mental health is equally as important for well being as physical health. It is important that early childhood intervention programs and quality mental health care continued to be offer especially for susceptible communities such as foster youth, veterans, and low-income individuals.
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