What is Mental Health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Over the course of one’s life, when experiencing mental health problems, thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected.

Being mentally well means that one is able to think, feel and act in ways that create a positive impact on physical and social well-being.

Ways to maintain positive mental health include:

• Connecting with others
• Practicing gratitude
• Physical activity
• Helping others
• Healthy sleep habits
• Developing constructive coping strategies
• Eating a balanced diet
• Maintaining a spiritual practice
• Seeking professional help or consultation

If you would like to speak to a member of the Mental Health Committee at CBB or would like more information, phone Lynn Altschul at 847-525-2553

Referral Information

CALM: Its mission is to prevent, assess and treat child abuse by providing comprehensive, culturally competent services for children, adults and families.

The Center for Successful Aging provides a variety of programs to promote the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life of seniors and their families. It has a peer counseling program, a telephone reassurance program, a program providing caregivers to seniors needing help in their homes, and a quarterly senior newspaper called Successful Aging.

Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA): Building healthier lives, stronger families and amore vibrant community through education, prevention and treatment of substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Domestic Violence Solutions provides safety, shelter, and support for individuals and families affected by domestic violence and collaborate with community partners to raise awareness regarding the cause, prevalence and impact.

Family Therapy Institute of Santa Barbara: Positive Innovative Effective Therapy for individuals, families, couples, children.

Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara: Strengthens and advocates for families and works to improve the well being of children, families and seniors by providing access to food, shelter and case management, advocacy and mental health programs.

Hosford Clinic: A University based community clinic designed to provide culturally sensitive, low cost counseling and psychotherapy for children, adults, couples and families on a sliding scale.

Hospice of Santa Barbara: offers free support groups, resources and community education and counseling for grief and bereavement

Jewish Family Service: A department of the the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara dedicated to strengthening the quality of life for families and individuals.

National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI): Provides support and referral services including family support groups, peer to peer counseling, and family to family services.

New Beginnings Counseling Center: provides mental health counseling to low income community members and to end homelessness for individuals, families and veterans throughout Santa Barbara County.

Mission Harbor Behavioral Health: A drug addiction treatment center providing compassionate, recovery  and community resources.

Postpartum Education for Parents (PEP): Supports growing families with opportunities for education, encouragement and social engagement with other people going through the same stage of parenting at the same time.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org y rainn.org/es) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country.

The Trevor Project is focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth. They offer a toll-free telephone number where confidential assistance is provided by trained counselors.

Additional referral information is available upon request.  Please contact Lynn Altschul at cbbmentalwellnesscommittee@gmail.com

If you are experiencing extreme anxiety or stress or if this is an emergency, call 911.