Students can Access Free Mental Health
Urgent Care Centers in LA County
LOS
ANGELES, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- More than
1,400 schools will be starting next week throughout Los Angeles County, and many of those students
will be at an elevated risk of experiencing a mental health crisis
due to the associated stresses of a new classroom and classmates.
In fact, August is typically one of the busiest months at the three
Star View Behavioral Health Urgent Care Centers in Los Angeles County where children and
adolescents receive free treatment 24/7 for mental health
crises.
Star View's Behavioral Health
Urgent Care Centers (BHUCCs, pronounced "Bucks") in Long Beach, City of
Industry, and Lancaster are
much like an urgent care for medical emergencies except the focus
is on stabilizing a mental health crisis. Walk-ins are welcome, and
no appointments are needed.
Students heading back to school experience numerous stressful
social situations like bullying and self-image issues in addition
to fear of school violence that can lead to anxiousness,
depression, and even suicidal ideation. At these behavioral health
urgent care centers, children and adults may stay up to 24 hours,
and psychiatrists and mental health specialists can help them
de-escalate and can prescribe any needed medications or ongoing
treatment.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, 50% of mental
illness begins by age 14 and three-quarters begins by age 24. A
2024 study by Mental Health America found that 13% of youth ages
12-17 reported suicidal thoughts. Early intervention can help
reduce the severity of a mental illness and can improve outcomes.
However, about 50% of young Americans with severe depression
receive no treatment, according to the Mental Health America
study.
These short-term centers provide a place for those with a mental
illness to work through their crisis and find stability without the
need to spend hours at a hospital emergency room. The BHUCCs also
provide an alternative to law enforcement intervention and relief
for impacted emergency rooms. The BHUCC is warm, open and doesn't
have the sterile feeling of an emergency room. Doctors, nurses,
clinicians, and peer workers provide short-term therapy and
medication management as needed.
These BHUCCs can address mental health crises and treat children
and adolescents far better than typical emergency rooms. In fact,
many other states and counties have followed this model and it's
still a relatively new trend.
Operated by Star View Behavioral Health under contract with
the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, these three
BHUCCs are open to everyone with or without insurance. These
centers are part of the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health's
large continuum of care programs throughout the county.
Star View's Behavioral Health
Urgent Care Centers are programs of Stars Behavioral Health
Group. For more information on the BHUCCs, visit
www.starsinc.com/programs/bhucc. Services are free, all insurance
plans are accepted, and people can either walk in or call ahead for
wait times. Long Beach: (562)
548-6565; City of Industry: (626)
626-4997; Lancaster (661)
522-6770.
CONTACT:
Jill Shannon
(949) 330-3316
jshannon@starsinc.com
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SOURCE Stars Behavioral Health Group