Mental Health can affect anyone. Regardless of gender, job or nationality. People are also affected by Mental Health in different ways. From depression to anxiety and much more. However, in Los Santos, it seems Mental Health conditions are becoming more apparent, with more people suffering every day. On December 1st, we reported on an incident in Ganton. A male was attempting to jump from a bridge, to take his own life. Luckily, Priest Ramirez arrived promptly and managed to talk the male down. However, not every sufferer of Mental Health concerns are so lucky. In this article, we have investigated Mental Health in Los Santos, to understand just how much of a daily struggle it is, for our people. Understanding The Severity 23.08% of adults experienced a mental illness in the past year, equivalent to nearly 60 million Americans. That’s roughly one in every five people, suffering with a mental illness in the past year. Struggling with daily life, their emotions, feelings. Also, 5.86% experienced a severe mental illness. This is a growing problem in Los Santos. People are faced with challenges on a daily basis. Especially those in critical roles, such as the Police or Fire. Seeing things on shift that nobody should. Los Santos needs to take a stance on Mental Health, and work with our people. Nathaniel Blackwood, All Saints General Hospital We spoke to Nathaniel Blackwood, Chief Of Medicine at the All Saints General Hospital. The conversation related to both Occupational Health and Mental Health Services. He said; “Regarding mental health – this is a crucial priority for us. We’re taking a two-pronged approach: First Responder Focus: We’re developing a specialized trauma support program specifically for law enforcement and emergency service personnel. This includes confidential counseling services and stress management resources. Community Mental Health: We’ve integrated mental health screenings into our regular health check-ups and are expanding our consultation services to include psychological support. The mental health challenges in our community are significant, and we’re committed to being part of the solution, whether it’s helping an officer process a difficult call or supporting a community member through trauma.” However, it seems those struggling with mental health, don’t want to reach to medical services, for the fear of judgement or worse, such as being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. What Needs To Happen Los Santos needs a community approach. Somebody or a team in the community, ready to help those in need with a mental illness. To work closely with the All Saints General Hospital and the Police. A good candidate for this would be Priest Ramirez. We saw him in action in Ganton, and he worked wonders on the bridge. A local community group, perhaps a non-profit charity of which would be available to help with Mental Health Concerns. Another approach would be for the All Saints General Hospital to establish an Adult Mental Health Service. A service where people in our community, our friends and family can be referred to, for help and support. How YOU Can Help If you know of anybody suffering with a mental health condition or illness, you can help. Call the LSFD hotline on 311 in cases of emergency. Alternatively, report the individual to the nearest emergency service worker. You can make a difference.