Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Talks Mental Health In The City, Resources For Kids

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — On Tuesday, Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Anne Figueroa attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for Aliso Ridge, a new state-of-the-art mental and behavioral health facility located in Aliso Viejo.

Figueroa told Patch that the opening of Aliso Ridge is another step in the right direction for mental health resources across Orange County, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It’s a really good time for parents to check in with their children, especially if they have any issues or concerns with them," Figueroa told Patch Tuesday. "I feel that the mental health stigmas are gone now, which I think is a wonderful thing. There are so many wonderful resources available."

Figueroa told Patch she felt so strongly about advocating for the many mental health resources available in the county that she authored an article intended to encourage parents to check in with their children.

But Figueroa isn't the only person concerned about mental health in children. The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory last December to address mental health challenges in children as a product of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I don’t think there’s anybody that doesn’t know somebody who hasn’t dealt with a mental health issue," Figueroa told Patch. "It's not just because of [the pandemic], these issues have been going on long before COVID. But the pandemic exacerbated a lot of these issues, and I think every child deals with it differently."

Figueroa said her conversations with Rancho Santa Margarita residents inspired her to write the piece.

"I just want parents to check in with their kids and make sure they’re okay," Figueroa told Patch. "Get the conversation door open in terms of how they’re doing post-pandemic, and don’t be ashamed to get help. There are so many resources."

Some of those resources include Be Well OC, a county-funded mental health service that has treated thousands of individuals since the beginning of last May. A great incentive to seek care with Be Well OC, Figueroa said, is the fact that residents with or without insurance can visit the service at its Orange campus to seek resources and treatments.

"More families than we realize are now struggling with some type of mental health issue. Children maybe experiencing bullying at school or due to pop culture feel like they aren’t beautiful enough, popular enough, or thin enough," Figueroa wrote in her article. "Now is an excellent moment to evaluate whether there has been a detrimental change in your child’s daily habits, sleep patterns or eating routines. Check in with your child to see if there is a problem or issue that needs to be discussed."

To contact Be Well OC, residents can call 949-749-2500 or visit the service's website to learn more information about life-saving mental health services.