The topic of mental health and the importance of properly maintaining it has become more and more prevalent over the years. However, getting the help you need can be tricky if you don’t know what organization to turn to.
In an effort to bring those organizations to Angelenos so they can proactively receive support, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) organized resource fairs at eight community colleges with dozens of community-based organizations in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month.
LA Valley College was a host for one of these fairs this week, as well as Rio Hondo and LA Harbor colleges. Among the many organizations and nonprofits present for the fair were Pacific Asian Counseling Services; Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services; Eggleston Youth Centers, Inc.; and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of the San Fernando Valley.
In addition to receiving information on the variety of mental health services being provided in the valley, guests could also take part in wellness activities, including getting a free back massage, haircut and participating in a group meditation.
Antonio Bañuelos, LACDMH’s program manager for the San Fernando Valley, said the importance of having these events at college campuses is that they have a captive audience that can take the information they receive at the fair and share it with their family and community.
“The idea is to spread mental health awareness across every age group and every sector of the community,” he said. “Mental health doesn’t discriminate. It affects every person in the community, no matter what stage of life you’re in, no matter what you’re doing and at any given point.”
Bañuelos said that around one in five adults in the United States are living with a mental illness, but clarified that for most of those people, it’s not a severe illness. These fairs, he said, are a concerted effort to spread awareness amongst the public.
He added that the fairs being held on college campuses is so they can focus on students who may be experiencing anxiety or depression and give them the support they need.
However, as the demand for these services has grown, mental health clinicians have struggled to keep up. Many organizations have waiting lists that can go on for months – despite the fact that people in crisis need assistance immediately.
Bañuelos acknowledged this, saying the department has a helpline available 24/7 at 1 (800) 854-7771 that serves as an entry point for mental health services in the county. In addition to services, including deploying crisis evaluation teams, the helpline can refer callers to their nearest clinic.
There are two more resource fairs scheduled before the month ends: one at Pasadena City College on May 28, and the other on May 31 at Gloria Molina Grand Park.
“We’re all synchronized and coordinated to make sure that we reach out to different parts of the community … to break down the stigma associated with mental health that creates a barrier for our community to seek help,” Bañuelos said. “We’re constantly trying to educate the public that [talking about] mental health is normal. Everyone experiences it.”
For more information, go to https://dmh.lacounty.gov/.