Overwhelmed mental health workers in the Bay Area are reaching a breaking point due to the challenges of their job and the high cost of living in the area.
For Nataly Velasquez, a counselor at a teen crisis center in Concord, just getting through the day can feel like a small miracle. Velasquez is tasked with leading therapy groups and one-on-one patient sessions, but too often she’s also scrambling to respond to emergencies on the floor of the inpatient mental health hospital. One patient might be trying to harm themself, while another might need help calming a manic episode.
“We witness things that you might see in a movie, things that someone might say are extreme or just unbearable to even witness,” the 34-year-old Velasquez said. Across the Bay Area, overwhelmed mental health workers are reaching a breaking point. In addition to serving on the front lines of a national crisis, many are also struggling to manage the costs of living in one of the country’s most unforgiving housing markets. After propping up an already strained system of care during the pandemic, some are leaving the field altogether
Mental Health Bay Area Crisis Overwhelmed Breaking Point Cost Of Living
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