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An Overview of Mental Health in Gardena, California

Gardena, California is a culturally diverse city located in Los Angeles County with a population of 60,224.

The name of the city is thought to have derived from the nickname “Garden Spot” due to the city’s former natural, green beauty. For many decades, Gardena’s main industry was farming, especially growing berries. However, the city which was once dubbed “Berryland” and known for its delicious berries and Strawberry Day Festival has since transitioned into the urban “Freeway City” it is today.

The racial makeup of the city includes 22.7 percent White residents, 23.4 percent African American residents, 25.1 percent Asian residents, and 37.8 Hispanic Residents. Notably, Gardena also has the largest population of Japanese Americans in the entire state and the third in the United States. Additionally, there is an especially large population of Korean Americans living in Gardena. As a result, there are many Japanese and Korean businesses located in Gardena, including Digital Manga Publishing, Nissin Foods, and Marukai Corporation U.S.A. There are also many Japanese and Korean dining options for residents in the city.

Although diversity, job opportunities, and plenty of recreational activities make Gardena a great place to live, there are individuals within the community struggling with a variety of financial, mental health, and physical issues. Some issues that the community of Gardena is experiencing include:

• Poverty: In Gardena, approximately 15.6 percent of the population is living in poverty which is higher than the national rate. The issue of poverty is so widespread in the state of California that it ranks first in the country for having the highest poverty rates.
• Cost of Living: Likely one of the main contributors to the poverty dilemma in the city, Gardena has an extremely high cost of living index of 3. Expensive housing is one of the main factors determining this number. The median house value is much higher than average at $544,500.
• Crime Rates: Although Gardena certainly does not have the highest crime rates in the country, it still has an especially high crime rate at 30 crimes per one thousand residents. The city has shockingly high rates of violent crimes which is much higher than both the state and national rates.
• Income Disparity: While the overall poverty rate for the community is at 15.6 percent, there are specific minority groups that have especially high poverty rates. For instance, the poverty rate for Hispanics is 22.15 percent and 17.72 percent for Natives.
• Uninsured: Approximately 15.1 percent of people under the age of 65 living in Gardena do not have health insurance. This indicates that if they do have a mental health issue or even a physical one, they might avoid treatment due to costs or struggle to keep up with the financial burden of paying medical bills.
• Substance Abuse: 1 percent of people in Los Angeles County report excessive alcohol consumption. Additionally, methamphetamine was the primary drug that was abused as indicated in the most recent review conducted by the Alcohol and Drug Program Administration.

All of these problems experienced by residents in Gardena affect the mental health of those living in the community. Notably, adults living in Los Angeles County self-report higher rates of poor mental health than the state of California. In 2014, 16.7 percent of participants indicated in a survey that they felt they needed professional help due to a mental health issue of some sort in the previous year. In addition, the average for poor mental health days was 3.7. Residents in Gardena need to know what resources are available to help them so they can seek out the treatment they need.

Mental Health Resources in Gardena, California

Those living in Gardena, California have access to several resources which can help them in their journey of recovery. For those who are experiencing a mental health crisis or want more information on resources in their area, they can call Mental Health Help 24/7 at 800-854-7771 at any time. Anyone who is considering suicide can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text LA to 741741.