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It's Not Only COVID-19: Californians Have Been Facing A 'Mental Health Pandemic'
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Alborz Kamalizad
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LAist
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Topline:
A statewide survey of some 30,000 Californians reveals an uptick in the number of people reporting serious mental health struggles over pre-pandemic years.
What stands out:
UCLA’s California Health Interview Survey highlights an “urgent need for mental health services,” according to a press release from UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research. The survey was conducted in 2021.
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About 30% of adults age 18 to 24 experienced “serious suicide ideation” in 2021, up from about 24% in 2019.
“As has been observed in other studies, the impact of the pandemic is especially pronounced for young adults,” CHIS Director Todd Hughes said Wednesday.
The study also found: 36% of respondents age 13 to 17 said they "needed help for emotional or mental health problems," but 26% "did not receive any counseling in the past year.”
Assistance For Mental Health Crises Or Support
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If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or visit the 988 website for online chat.
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For more help:
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- Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
- To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s 24/7 Help Line (Spanish available): 800-854-7771.
- East Los Angeles Women’s Center 24/7 crisis hotline (Spanish available): 800-585-6231.
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for 24/7 crisis counseling.
The backstory:
Mental health experts warned of a COVID-19 “mental health pandemic,” as millions deal with the fallout from physical isolation, loss of a loved one and the myriad other disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Late last year, the U.S.’s top doctor put out an advisory warning of a mental health crisis among the nation’s youth — a crisis he said was made worse by the pandemic.
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This comes as many Angelenos still struggle to get mental health services like therapy.
What's next:
For one, state leaders are trying to direct more funds to California’s mental health care system. In August, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a nearly $5-billion plan to increase accessibility to mental health services for young Californians.
Go deeper: Why We're Facing A Coronavirus 'Mental Health Pandemic'
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