Glendale, California Therapists

Overview of Mental Health Resources in Glendale, California

Glendale is a thriving community located about 8 miles north of Los Angeles. The estimated 2016 population was 200, 826. It’s a large city compared to the rest of the country but small by California’s standards. Its residents are extremely diverse and well-educated. They’re also slightly older, on average, than most Californians. The median age in Glendale is 41.6 years old. The median age in California is 36.4.

Mental health concerns are prevalent in Glendale largely because the city is intertwined with Los Angeles. California’s mental health resources are severely strained. A study released earlier this year determined that the state will suffer from a “severe shortage of psychiatrists by 2028.”

The study authors defined shortages as “the gap between the supply of behavioral health professionals and demand for behavioral health professionals.”

Glendale residents aren’t more fortunate in this respect than the rest of California’s population. Mental health resources in the city are stretched too thin to treat the population, according to some estimates.

Glendale Demographics

Glendale is 61% white, 18% Hispanic, and 16% Asian. 94, 753 workers reside with its confines. The median household income is $56,069. It’s on par with the national average, but less than the averages for both Los Angeles and California.

Relative wealth has been found to have a strong effect on people’s happiness. The majority of Glendale residents are not facing poverty but they do have fewer resources than people around them.

14% of Glendale residents live below the national poverty line while 42.5% of the adult population over 25 has a bachelor’s degree or higher.

There are also many foreign-born residents.

Glendale’s crime rate is very low compared to the rest of California. People face a 1 in 830 chance of being victims of a violent crime in Glendale. They face a 1 in 220 chance in California.

However, the risk of being involved in a property crime is slightly higher in Glendale than most American cities.

Glendale Mental Health 

Los Angeles County, which includes Glendale, is fighting against a very pronounced homelessness problem. It’s estimated that at least one-third of people living on the streets are afflicted with severe mental health diseases.

Researchers estimated that in 2016 there were 5,809 psychiatrists in California.

California’s number of psychiatrists is expected to decrease dramatically over the next few years.

One possible problem is that California’s university system lacks psychiatry residency programs.

Glendale Mental Health Resources

California lawmakers are aware of the state’s mental health problems. Los Angeles County residents recently voted for Proposition 63, a bill that creates housing space for the homeless. And the state is considering Assembly Bill 2018, a measure intended to entice mental health professionals to commit to working within the state.

“The shortage of psychiatrists in the United States and California has reached crisis levels,” said Assemblyman Brian Maienschein. “AB 2018 will amend current statute for state loan repayment programs to allow trainees that meet necessary criteria to be eligible for loan repayment during their training.”

Medical students tend to start practicing in the same area where they complete their residencies.

These measures might not be enough, however. New people start living on the street every day in California. Experts believe that truly cure homelessness, people need to be helped when they first start exhibiting serious mental health problems.

Senate Bill 1004 is now sitting on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. The bill would set mental health spending guidelines for the state’s counties. It’s controversial for multiple reasons. Gov. Brown’s team objects for financial reasons while others complain about the bill’s focus on treating the young.

Because mental health isn’t an easy problem to solve, there’s no obvious solution to Glendale’s problems.