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May 15, 2014
Message from René G. Santiago
Sixty-five
years ago, May was designated as Mental Health Month to raise awareness
about mental illnesses and the importance of mental wellness for all.
Did you know that nearly 1-in-5 Americans over the age of 18 will
experience a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year? Nearly
half of them will experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime.
Another
important fact: more people die from suicide than from homicide in
Santa Clara County. In 2013, there were 149 suicides and 56 homicides in
Santa Clara County. The people who died from suicide came from every
city in our county, all income levels, and a variety of ethnic and
cultural backgrounds. The ages of people who died from suicide ranged
from 15 years old to 93 years old. Every death is tragic, but we know
when it comes to suicide, these deaths are preventable.
From
research and from experience, it is clear that mental health is
integral to a person’s overall health and that there is “no health
without mental health.” With effective services and treatment,
individuals with mental health conditions can recover and lead full,
productive lives. The Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System
(SCVHHS) is working to integrate prevention and treatment approaches
across the Mental Health Department, Department of Alcohol & Drug
Services (DADS) and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Through our
services, we help those struggling with mental health disorders and
addictions get the care they need in safe and stable environments. By
treating the physical and behavioral health needs of our patients and
clients, we can improve the individual’s overall health.
In
raising awareness, we need to let people know they are not alone. In
the United States, it is estimated that 4 in every 10 cases of
disability are directly attributed to mental disorders like major
depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive
disorder. It is also estimated that twice as many women (12 percent) as
men (6.6 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder.
If
we really want to improve the health of our community and help our
residents live well, we must continue to address mental health and
addiction disorders, as well as enhance the services we provide. By
having the Mental Health Department and DADS come together as a new
Behavioral Health Services Department, we can be more effective in
providing services and be better positioned as the provider of choice
for these services.
Providing
for the continuum of care is essential to helping people realize their
road to recovery. The establishment of the Behavioral Health Services
Department is one of the ways we will realize our SCVHHS vision of
Better Health for All.
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