County of Rockland Department of Mental Health Donna Pauldine

County of Rockland
Department of Mental Health
Donna Pauldine (845) 364-2287
May 4, 2004

May is Mental Health Month
Free Telephone Consultations Available

POMONA, NY - The Rockland County Department of Mental Health will be honoring May as Mental Health Month by offering free telephone consultations with mental health professionals from Monday, May 10 through Friday, May 14 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Clinical therapists will be standing by to answer questions about the availability of outpatient mental health and alcohol/chemical dependency services for children and adults. One-to-one attention will be provided to anyone who needs information about mental health treatment. To take advantage of these special consultations, please call the Department of Mental Health at (845) 364-2150.

“During Mental Health Month we hope to raise awareness that Mental illnesses are real, common and treatable. It is important that individuals with mental illness have access to the care, treatment and prevention services they need,” said Commissioner of Mental Health Mary Ann Walsh-Tozer. “We hope Rocklanders will take advantage of this opportunity to speak with a clinical therapist and find out what services are available to them.”

Year round, residents wanting more information about the services of the Mental Health Department can call (845) 364-2150 during weekday business hours. Crisis services are available around the clock, seven days a week. The Crisis Unit can be reached at (845) 364-2200. Walk-in clients are also welcome.

One in five Americans experience a serious emotional disturbance or mental illness each year, making mental illness more prevalent than cancer, lung disease and heart disease combined.

Research shows that depression is common in individuals who suffer from heart diseases, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Although the physical illnesses are generally treated, often the mental illnesses are not. Untreated mental illnesses in the workplace such as stress and depression lead to absenteeism, employee turnover and lost productivity costing the American economy billions of dollars each year.

Since 1949, Mental Health Month has raised public awareness of the importance of mental health and the reality of mental illness. Initiated as a weeklong public education campaign, it soon grew into a month’s worth of activities and, as such, Congress has officially designated May as Mental Health Month. Mental Health month enables communities to disseminate information about mental health, mental illness, treatment options and mental health policy.

Here are some facts and figures on Mental Illness:

Four of the ten leading causes of disability in the United States and other developed countries are mental disorders, which include major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Mental illnesses are health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.
Of American adults, 5.4% have a serious mental illness. 23% suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year, but only half report impairment in their daily functioning. 6% have addictive disorders alone, and 3% have both mental and addictive disorders.
Almost half of adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses are between the ages of 25 and 44.
In children ages 9 to 17, 9%-13% have a serious emotional disturbance with substantial functional impairment, and 5%-9% have a serious emotional disturbance with extreme functional impairment.
Not all mental disorders identified in childhood and adolescence persist into adulthood, a substantial number of them recover from mental illness.
The treatment success rate for a first episode of major depression is 60-65% and 80% for bipolar disorder.

Since January 1, 1970, the Rockland County Department of Mental Health has delivered a comprehensive array of inpatient and outpatient mental health, and alcohol/chemical dependency services to the citizens of Rockland County. In 2003, inpatient and outpatient services were provided to approximately 7,000 individuals, with the total number of outpatient visits totaling 102,230.

Day and evening clinic hours are available in addition to more structured day program services. The Department also offers active case management services. Services are available to anyone in need and most insurance is accepted. Services can also be provided on a sliding scale fee.