Mental Health MATTERS

Imperial County Behavioral Health Services

On a recent sunny fall day scores of professionals in mental health, education, law enforcement, social service and concerned individuals came together to commemorate World Mental Health Day at a daylong Summit at Imperial Valley College.

Attendees did more than discuss symptoms, learn about treatment modalities and meet with community based organizations and providers that had information booths at the Summit. They spent the day together gaining information to help dismantle the barrier that prevents many from getting help: stigma. And they left with renewed commitment to work together to link people in need with mental health services available in the Valley.

“When you shine the light on things, they are transformed,” Dr. Lennor Johnson, IVC dean of Student Services and Special projects, said in remarks to kick off the discussion and series of workshops. Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (ICBHS) and IVC organized the Summit. An important first step is to get the facts. “While mental illness doesn’t discriminate, many people do,” Andrea Kuhlen, director of Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (ICBHS) told the crowd. And that “leads to many not getting treatment that could make their lives so much better.”

She said it is estimated that about ¼ of adults in the U.S. struggle with a mental health issue in a given year. Yet, fewer than half of those get treatment. That leaves individuals, families and communities suffering.

That suffering is tragic when you consider that 70-90 percent of individuals report their quality of life improves after receiving support and treatment, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness California (NAMI-CA).

Locally ICBHS provides a wide range of evidence based mental health services at many locations throughout the Valley. The ICBHS staff is constantly being trained to enhance and add services as the need is identified.