Rialto, California Therapists

An Overview of Mental Health in Rialto, California 

Rialto is a Southern California city that is approximately 50 miles from Los Angeles. Rialto is part of San Bernardino County, which is also called the Inland Empire. 

The average Rialto resident commutes about 38 minutes one way to work, according to ZipAtlas. This indicates that many residents work in other cities in the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area. 

Like many Southern California cities, Rialto is known for its ethnic diversity. According to the Rialto city government website, housing options are more affordable than in other communities in the San Bernardino area. The city’s motto is “The Bridge to Progress.” 

Despite all the advantages of living in an affordable and convenient area of Southern California, some Rialto residents experience symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Fortunately, Rialto’s Inland Empire location offers access to a variety of mental health treatment options. 

Poverty and Mental Illness in Rialto, California

As of July 2017, Rialto had 103,562 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While Rialto’s Cajon’s annual median household income level is $52,347, nearly 19% of Rialto residents live in poverty. This is significantly higher than the U.S. average of 12.3% and on par with the California average of 19%. Unfortunately, California has the highest poverty rate in the United States. 

Poverty and mental illness have a multifaceted relationship, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). People who live in poverty often experience more severe symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.  

Mental illness does not discriminate depending upon one’s income level; the day-to-day tasks of life can and do worsen symptoms among people from all social and economic classes. However, people in poverty often struggle to obtain or maintain food, affordable housing, and appropriate healthcare. Such struggles combined with a mental illness can make it much more difficult for someone to comply with treatment even when it is offered. 

Poverty also makes it more probable that a person will experience a serious mental illness, according to SAMHSA. It is also worth noting that everyone — regardless of educational or socioeconomic background — has a heightened risk of eventually living in poverty once he or she experiences symptoms of one or more mental illnesses. 

Mental Health Statistics for Rialto, California

According to a report from the American Psychological Association, the entire state of California has 11,000 active psychologists — the largest number in the United States. Generally, a large number of active psychologists and other mental health professionals indicate that mental illness is prevalent throughout that state; this is the case for California.  

According to SAMHSA’s California Behavioral Health Barometer for 2015, the state has mental illness prevalence rates that are close to the national average. California’s percentage of major depressive episodes among children ages 12-17 in 2013-14 was 11.5% — only half a percentage point higher than the U.S. average of 11% for the same period. The national and state averages for serious mental illnesses among adults for the same period showed a similar trend at 3.8% and 4.2%, respectively. 

Mental Health Resources for Rialto, California

According to a SAMHSA online search engine, Rialto does not have any mental health treatment providers within its city limits. However, Colton and San Bernardino (each approximately three miles from Rialto) each has a mental health treatment facility. There are 16 additional mental health care providers within a 10-mile radius of Rialto.  

Rialto has one substance abuse treatment provider and an additional 33 options within a 10-mile radius of the city. 

Some of the inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services available in Rialto and neighboring cities offer low-cost or free treatment to people with low income and/or no insurance. This is important, as nearly 19% of Rialto residents do not have health insurance. Even if you are insured, it is still always worth asking about payment options. 

Challenges of Finding a Suitable Therapist in Rialto, California

This website is dedicated to helping people in Rialto, California and every other U.S. city find the best mental health treatment possible.   

While your employer or health insurer likely has a referral service, you are likely to end up frustrated after hours of completing rather personal forms. More often than not, providers recommended by your employer or health insurer have few or no appointments.