Paterson, New Jersey Therapists

An Overview of Mental Health in Paterson, New Jersey

Mental health. It’s the subject that’s on a lot of people’s minds in Paterson, New Jersey. The great news is that there are plenty of mental health professionals in the area to support the well-being of “Silk City” residents.

Paterson is the largest and county seat of Passaic County, and is the third largest city in New Jersey, in addition to having the second highest population density of any city in the U.S. just behind nearby New York City. 146,000 people are packed into an area slightly less than nine square miles accounting for 17672.05 per square mile.

Known for its diversity, Paterson has a host of attractions including Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park, a natural falls created by the Passaic River found in the heart of the city. A castle is also a commonly visited site. Lambert Castle Museum can be found in the Garret Mountain Reservation.

Mental Health Statistics for Paterson

The overall well-being of a person is a key indicator of fair mental health. Sadly, Paterson has a high incident rating as far as mental health is concerned. An online survey noted that the most pressing community issue in Paterson is mental health itself. Over 50 percent of residents have stated they’ve experienced high anxiety or depression in the past year alone, perhaps further indicated by the high level of substance abuse in the area.

Paterson, and Passaic County are in dire need for more access to mental health professionals. With just 25 professionals in the city, including therapists, counselors and psychiatrists, that equals a population to therapist ratio higher than 5,000:1 – more than 10 times the national threshold. However, because Paterson is located in a heavily populated area, residents may choose to go outside the city limits to find a wide variety of available mental health professionals. All said, substance abuse and the stigma associated with making a call or visiting therapists continue to be barriers to seeking proper mental healthcare aside from financial concerns.

What Makes Paterson Different About Mental Health?

There are numerous factors regarding the state of mental health in Paterson, NJ. Lacking higher paying job opportunities, especially those with health benefits to cover the cost of continued therapy and counseling are among the most cited reasons in Paterson.

A large segment of the population lives at or below the poverty line, with an ever increase in homelessness. Additionally, social stigma prevents many residents from seeking out help as many parts of the population follow stringent religious practices that may lead them to seeking help from a layperson instead of a trained professional.

• Financial insecurity is a known cause of anxiety, depression and abuse of substances.
• The median individual income of Paterson is just $16,259 per year. The national average is $28,555.
• 1 percent of the population lives in poverty.
• Having traumatic experiences is also known to lead to mental health issues if not treated properly. Paterson has a violent crime rate of 1054 per 100,000 people, making it one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in America.
• A community survey noted access as the primary reason why people didn’t get help with their mental health issues.
• Untreated mental illness is the leading cause of suicide in Paterson, with a rate of 4 percent.

Divorce Rate in Paterson New Jersey

Paterson has an average divorce rate in the country at just 7.8 percent. However, such a moderate rate might be because of the relatively high single ratio. 49 percent of the population is single and has never been married. Just over a third of the population is currently married. This may all be indicative of a median age of 33 years old.

The average divorce rates may also come from an abundance of marriage counselors in the area. Thousands of marriage counselors are in the most populated areas of New Jersey, of which Paterson is part of, in addition to the high number of marriage specialists in neighboring New York City.

Mental Health Resources in Paterson

There are currently less than 27 mental health professionals in Paterson New Jersey. That’s roughly one licensed professional per 5,000 people. While New Jersey itself has a high prevalence of mental health issues, the number of counselors available in Paterson is more than 10 times higher than the national minimum threshold.