Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) hosted a ribbon-cutting event, on December 7th, to celebrate the grand opening of its Koreatown Mental Health Center (MHC), starting its operation from today.
At the opening ceremony, LA County Supervisor Chairman Holly Mitchell said, “It is the first anniversary of the opening of a mental health center in Korea Town,” adding, “The clinic is open 24 hours a day and provides various services from counseling to medication.”
Korean language service is also provided here. Two Korean doctors and one Korean guide staff in the center consult and treat in Korean.
“There are many people who are reluctant to visit the center due to language barriers, but we plan to support various language services such as Spanish as well as Korean,” said Lisa Wong, director of DMH. “Our goal is to remove cultural and linguistic barriers and encourage the community to enjoy medical benefits as much as possible.”
According to Ahn Jung-young, DMH coordinator, the number of Koreans who suffered from depression and anxiety symptoms after the pandemic increased by up to 40%. He said, “Koreans often do not visit hospitals until their symptoms worsen due to poor awareness of mental health,” adding, “Mental health is the same concept as general diseases. He said, “I hope you visit the center a lot to receive appropriate services and maintain your mental and physical health.”
The Korean Town Mental Health Center provides various treatments such as group and individual treatment, drug treatment, and behavioral treatment. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and telephone counseling (800-854-7771) is available 24 hours a day. Non-income, low-income, and non-documented people can also receive medical treatment.
â–¶Address: 510 S. Vermont Ave, Los Angeles.