Glendale Needs More Mental Health Providers – Our Community Can’t Wait 

Glendale needs more mental health providers. As a lifelong resident and USC Master of Social Work student interning in the district’s Student Wellness Dept., I see this gap every day. According to Adventist Health, Glendale has just 77 mental health providers per 100,000 residents – far below both the California and national averages. All hope isn’t lost, though; Glendale Unified School District is tackling growing mental health needs through Student Wellness Services, which offers individual and group counseling for students. 

In 2022, GUSD’s Student Wellness Services received 958 referrals across more than 30 schools. Programs like “Bridge to Belonging” are intended to help recently immigrated students adjust to their new environment. Substance abuse intervention curriculum implemented by the department helps address increases in fentanyl overdoses, underage vaping and other drug- and alcohol-related issues. A student who is struggling can have an absence excused with an “MH” for mental health. The school district has been making a concerted effort to improve access to mental health resources. 

I have personally witnessed students grow in their academic and personal lives as a direct result of these services. I provide counseling for students to help them improve their functioning, coping skills and overall well-being. I have been fortunate enough to be part of their journey toward personal and academic success and it has struck me how so many of them simply need someone to listen to them without dismissing their issues as teenage angst. This experience reiterated my belief that mental health services can be transformative for our community. 

While GUSD is routinely advancing and updating the mental health resources available at its schools, the City of Glendale is struggling to catch up. Over 70% of the city’s population is over the age of 18, and addressing their mental health concerns is not as simple as being referred to a counselor at GUSD. Nearly half of Glendale residents interviewed by Adventist Health stated that mental health is one of their top concerns. Yet there is a shortage of providers, limiting residents’ access to care, especially for those who are uninsured or undocumented. 

We need mental health services now more than ever. There has been a 40% increase in college student counseling visits at Glendale Community College in the past three years, high isolation rates among residents aged 65 and over, and an increase in homelessness in our city. Glendale’s violent crime rate is higher than both the California and national averages, and housing instability and the rising cost of living continue to place strain on residents’ mental well-being. In 2023, the Glendale Police Dept. launched the “Substance Abuse and Wellness Resource Program,” which is a major step forward. Resources like this are imperative, and they can reduce stigma and offer crucial support to those in need. 

As a Master of Social Work student and daughter of immigrants, I have seen firsthand how limited access to care affects people and I am passionate about changing that. At GUSD, students have tangible resources that can help them navigate their mental health challenges. The same cannot be said across our diverse, vibrant city. Our mental health infrastructure has not kept up with our community’s needs. Expanding access to care can look like increasing funding for community mental health clinics, offering loan-repayment incentives for clinicians practicing in underserved areas, expanding tele-health services, and strengthening partnerships between the city, hospitals and community organizations to provide affordable counseling. Glendale has taken important steps but there is much more work to be done.