Therapists in Simi Valley, CA and Nearby Locations

Mental Health Resources  in Simi Valley, California

Simi Valley is a city in California that’s located in Ventura County. Simi Valley is around 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and it’s located next to Thousand Oaks. Simi Valley is to the west of the San Fernando Valley, and it’s a commuter city for people who work in Los Angeles in many cases.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is located in Simi Valley, and overall it’s considered a safe and happy city. A study from the University of Vermont ranked Simi Valley as the fifth-happiest city in the U.S. FBI crime statistics showed it was the seventh-safest city in the U.S. with a population of over 100,000. The median household income as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2012 was higher than the state median at $87,894. That number was also significantly higher than the national average of $62,527.

Even so, as with any city or town in America, some issues and concerns plague the residents of Simi Valley, especially as they relate to mental health.

While income levels in Simi Valley are high, so is the cost of living, and things like rent and housing purchase prices are significantly above state and national averages. This has led to a pervasive problem with homelessness throughout Ventura County. Many of the homeless in Ventura County have lived on the streets for years, and they often have mental illnesses and drug addictions. There was a homeless count in 2014 done by Ventura County, and it found that the vast majority had a mental health problem. 30 percent of the county’s homeless population had a substance abuse problem as well.

Some data was collected a few years ago about mental health in California and Ventura County. The research found that one-third of people in California feel that people aren’t caring or sympathetic to someone with mental illness.

Fewer than 30 percent of people with mental health challenges end up seeking treatment, primarily because of the fear of discrimination and the stigma. It’s estimated that 16 percent of adults in Ventura County feel they need mental health help or help for drug and alcohol use. One-third of those who felt they needed help didn’t receive it, however.

The same research included data relating to suicide rates in Ventura County. Every year in the county there are an estimated 80 to 100 suicides, and since 2007 the suicide rate in Ventura County has been higher than the state rate. The highest suicide rates in Ventura County are among people aged 85 and older, but the second-highest rate is among people aged 45 to 65. In 2011, there were more than 250 hospitalizations and 700 ER visits in Ventura County because of self-inflicted or suicide-related injuries.

Resources in Simi Valley

There are resources available to people struggling with mental health issues in Simi Valley and throughout Ventura County. There is the Department of Ventura County Behavioral Health, for example. The Ventura County Behavioral Health Department provides services to help people with not only mental health issues but also substance abuse treatment needs.

Under Ventura County Behavioral Health there are outpatient mental health services available to adults at eight clinics throughout the county. Services are also provided in the community and people’s homes. Clinics provide psychiatric assessments, medication services, and psychological testing among other services.

Another example of a mental health services provider in Ventura County is called Wellness Everyday. Wellness Everyday provides a variety of resources, education, and information on different mental health programs in the community and how people can recognize and cope with the signs and symptoms of mental illness.

Other organizations focus on specific areas of service like the Maternal Mental Health Coalition of Ventura County. This is a coalition that brings together mothers who may be struggling with mental health issues like mood and anxiety disorders with resources that could help them.