
Advancing Behavioral Health Services in Ventura County
Behavioral Health illness is a growing problem in the U.S. that crosses all socioeconomic boundaries and age groups. Related health disorders include conditions such as clinical depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Depressive illnesses tend to present with substance abuse. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience a mental illness, with:
- 1 in 25 adults experiencing a serious or acute mental illness, and 17% of youth between the ages of 6-17 experience a mental health disorder.
- Mood disorders are the most common cause of hospitalization for all people in the U.S. under the age of 45.
It is estimated that nationally 1 of every 8 visits to an emergency department stems from mental health or substance abuse issues (NAMI), and the local landscape at St. John’s Hospitals is no different. St. John’s cares for thousands of patients with acute behavioral health needs annually, treating everyone and every need imaginable.