Overview of Mental Health Resources in Richmond, California
Richmond is located in Western Contra Costa County, California. The city’s estimated population is 110,040, according to the 2017 U.S. Census. It has a total area of 52.5 square miles (136 km2). Approximately 30 square miles (78 km2) is land and 22.4 square miles (58 km2) (42.71%) is water. The city sits on 32 miles (51 km) of waterfront and it borders the San Francisco Bay. Richmond enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate year round and usually experiences an “Indian summer”, since September is the warmest month. Richmond has one of the last pristine grassland habitats in the entire Bay Area. The city has 292.6 acres (1.2 km2) of parkland. The median income for a household in the city was $44,210 and the amount of people below the poverty line is approximately 16%. The largest employers in the area are Chevron Petrochemical, West Contra Costa Unified School District, and the Social Security Administration.
City Concerns
Richmond was ranked the 12th most dangerous city in America in 2004. The city suffered from such a high crime rate that city council requested a declaration of a state of emergency and intervention from the county sheriff and highway patrol. In 2009, an extremely violent crime captured the attention of the nation.
Richmond’s volatile environment makes it prone to earthquakes and resulting damage to numerous buildings. The Chevron Refinery is located there and has also created damage, including the hospitalization of 25,000 people, due to tanker car exploding with poisonous gas. Seventeen emergency warning sirens are in Richmond and they are tested every Wednesday. They are often signaled to warn the community of toxic chemical releases from the Chevron Refinery. Air quality is particularly low in the city due to the refineries and residents are at risk of air-pollution-related health issues. Richmond was sued by an environmental group in 2006 for dumping raw sewage into the bay.
The Richmond Health Equity Report Card produced a report covering the years of 2009 – 2011. Asian students had the highest rate of bullying in school. The Hispanic / Latino students in Richmond experienced a higher risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. Caucasian adults experienced a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and death due to suicide. The adults who reported a greater risk of psychological distress were of low income, Hispanic / Latino, and African American.
According to the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center, who researched reports printed by organizations such as the U.S. Census and the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, states that it is challenging to find divorce rates for California due to a lack of federal funding since 1996. States can report voluntarily, but California has not reported possibly due to being such a large state. It is estimated that 11.1% of Richmond’s residents are divorced, 3.1% is currently separated, and 6.4% has been widowed.
Nonprofit Mental Health Organizations
Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS) is a non-profit mental health agency that is committed to advocating for and providing community based, culturally-competent, and consumer-guided comprehensive services, with an emphasis on serving Asian & Pacific Islander Americans.
National Alliance of on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Costa County is a charitable mental health non-profit organization providing outreach, education, support, and advocacy to families and individuals in need of help. All of their programs are free. The Early Childhood Mental Health Program offers therapy for children and families. Services are free of charge for Medi-cal eligible children. Services are available in Spanish and English. They specialize in treatment for those individuals who were affected by violence.
Anka Behavioral Health provides inpatient and outpatient mental health services. Services are available for people who are financially challenged.
