Pandemic 'Creating Substantial Anxiety' In Venice Community

VENICE, CA — People in Venice are reaching out for help at a new level following major shifts and changes due to the coronavirus pandemic, health experts at Venice Family Clinic told Patch Wednesday.

No matter who you are, there is help at Venice Family Clinic, said Mimi Lind, Director of Behavioral Health Services at Venice Family Clinic, a nonprofit community health center.

"Venice is such a special community – it’s a great mix of cultures, people from all walks of life and activism," Lind told Patch. "Venice Family Clinic has been honored to have supported the health and mental health of its residents for the last 50 years. We serve nearly 28,000 men, women and children, regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status."

Most people are feeling a major change and challenges, Lind said.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of almost everyone in Venice, which significantly increases emotional stress," Lind told Patch. "Many people have lost their jobs or seen substantial declines in their incomes as a result of furloughs and other cutbacks in employment. Many of the people who have continued working are in health care and other essential jobs where they are more likely to be at risk of infection, creating substantial anxiety for them and their families."

Mental health services can help us all manage the stress we’re feeling, Lind added.

"How we cope with stress, or don’t, impacts not only our overall health but also our ability to be kind to each other, to manage our daily responsibilities and to just to show up," Lind told Patch.

When the coronavirus outbreak happened and stay-at-home orders began in Los Angeles, Venice Family Clinic kept its doors open.

"Venice Family Clinic has been one of the only community health centers that continued to offer in-person counseling during the pandemic, and we have seen a continued demand for our services – both therapy and counseling," Lind said. "We also have a counselor available during business hours to speak immediately with our patients who are having a hard time coping with the stress of these times."

There is someone to help.

And last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to look for ways to expand mental health services—in partnership with faith-based organizations and community clinics—for immigrant communities suffering due to the coronavirus.

"We are stronger as a community when all our residents are healthy and thriving," Lind told Patch.

Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn co-authored a motion last week asking that the county seek funding to train more community health workers, known by many Latinos as promotores de salud. Promotores are seen as trusted advisors in the community and can educate residents about their options for help.

"Our communities of color are on the front lines of this pandemic and are unable to telecommute, which adds to their stress and anxiety," Solis said. "Sadly, many Latinos lack access to quality mental health care, but through our partnership with Dr. Cynthia Telles of UCLA's Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence, we are ramping up our services to individuals who are suffering silently. There is no stigma in seeking help from mental health professionals. It is a sign of strength, and I want everyone to know they can reach out to us if they are feeling overwhelmed by COVID-19."

At a Monday news conference, Solis cited data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that Latinos nationwide have been hardest hit with coronavirus-related job losses, resulting in an 18.9% rate of unemployment.

"As you know, this statistic does not include our undocumented communities," Solis said Monday.

The struggle to put food on the table for their families is creating psychological distress for many residents, and Solis said she wants to make certain everyone is aware of available county mental health resources.

In addition to training more than 140 promotores to date, the county's Department of Mental Health is partnering with UCLA's Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence to train bilingual/bicultural neuropsychologists to meet the emerging mental health needs of underserved immigrant communities affected by COVID-19.

Hahn said faith-based organizations have helped support these efforts to reach immigrant communities who may be distrustful of government resources, worried about the potential for deportation or wary of the stigma associated with mental health treatment.

"The isolation from physical distancing and the stress from economic hardship and uncertainty are taking a toll on everyone," Hahn said. "And it's times like these that many people turn to their places of worship and their faith-based communities for support and comfort. Through this program we can train faith leaders to provide mental health support during this trying time."

Representatives from more than 26 churches have completed mental health training to help communities deal with COVID-19. More than 60 faith-based organizations, including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, are scheduled to take part in upcoming virtual training.

The board directed the CEO to report back in 30 days on the feasibility of expanding those efforts, including identifying ongoing funding sources.

Jorge Partida, the chief of psychology for the Department of Mental Health, also pointed to the outsize effect of COVID-19 on Latino communities during the Monday news conference.

"In the Latino community, we know that we are disproportionately impacted due to many factors, including overcrowding and living circumstances, lack of employment," Partida said.

Venice Family Clinic, which offers counseling in-person as well as by telephone, issued a statement in support of the board's action.

"Nearly 60% of Venice Family Clinic's patients are Latinx, and many of them had no choice but to work in high-risk essential service jobs—or lose their incomes—during the pandemic. In doing so, they and their families are at greater risk of infections, especially with multiple generations often living under one roof," the statement read in part. "Three out of four of our patients live at or below the federal poverty level, which is approximately $26,000 per year for a family of four, and the pandemic has added considerably to their pre-existing economic stress. COVID-19 has significantly increased emotional stress for the entire community, but especially for our patients."

Countywide, the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and related deaths are found in the Latino population. Black and Latino residents are dying at the same rate per 100,000 people, which is near twice the rate of white residents.

If not treated now, related mental health problems could affect these families for years, experts warned.

Venice has a population of 33,885 people, according to Los Angeles County health officials.

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City News Service, Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.

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