Counseling in Palmdale, CA. Find the Right Therapist.

Related Sites:
City of Palmdale
California Board of Behavioral Sciences

Counseling Palmdale California

Therapist Lancaster, Littlerock, Harold, Acton, Leona Valley, Four Points

In 1886, the first European settlement was established as Palmenthal, a village within the boundaries of Palmdale. These European settlers were of mostly German and Swiss descent. Interestingly, the area was named for these settlers who were told that they would know they were close to the ocean when they saw palm trees. However, they did not know what palm trees looked like, and mistakenly thought the Joshua trees were palm trees; thus the village was born. It wasn't until 1888 though that the village was officially established. Unfortunately, when the drought occurred, the farmers moved closer to the ocean, leaving one original family who renamed the village to Palmdale. At the turn of the century, the population began to rise again, particularly after the aqueduct system was completed in the area, so people would not run out of water. This allowed the agriculture to thrive, growing pears, apples and alfalfa. Today, the city is home to over 150,000 people.¹

Mental Health in Palmdale

Palmdale and the greater Antelope Valley area have undergone significant changes in the last two decades. The valley is still mostly rural, but the population has doubled since 1990 to nearly 400,000 people. Racial and ethnic shifts have occurred, with a large number of Hispanic families now calling the valley home. Poverty has risen dramatically since the 1990s, and the valley is now one of the poorest areas of Los Angeles County. These demographic and socioeconomic changes have created serious problems with regard to the delivery of effective and affordable psychological services, as minorities and the poor are traditionally underserved in the area of mental health care.²

The Antelope Valley division of Mental Health America Los Angeles offers many services for children, adolescents and adults in the Palmdale area. Programs for adults include housing assistance, job training, social skills training and more. Transition programs are available for children who are leaving foster care and entering adulthood. Veteran's services are offered for low-income military members and their families. Educational outreach programs seek to inform the community about mental illness and substance abuse, and the Discovery Center is a new facility that is run by and for people who have a mental illness. For more information, call 888-242-2522, extension 225.⁴

Current Initiatives

To address the impact that rising poverty and homelessness have on young mothers and children in the Antelope Valley, the National Center on Family Homelessness began the Strengthening At Risk Homeless Young Mothers and Children Initiative. With cooperation and support from public and private agencies, the initiative implemented targeted programs aimed at helping stabilize at-risk families and provide essential services for housing, employment, education and more. Families involved in the program showed marked improvement in stability of housing, decision-making, health and educational achievement.⁴

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References

1. Wikipedia. (2017). Palmdale, California. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmdale,_California.
2. Insure the Uninsured Project. (2016). Antelope Valley Presents Notable Health Care Challenges to Los Angeles County. Retrieved from http://itup.org/blog/2012/08/28/antelope-valley-presents-notable-health-care-challenges-to-los-angeles-county/.
3. Mental Health America Los Angeles. (2017). Antelope Valley Services. Retrieved from http://www.mhala.org/antelope-valley-services.htm.
4. The National Center on Family Homelessness. (2016). Outcome Evaluation: Strengthening Young Families, Antelope Valley, California. Retrieved from http://www.familyhomelessness.org/media/325.pdf.

Palmdale is located in Los Angeles County, California. It has a land area of 105.96 square miles and a water area of 0.24 square miles.  The population of Palmdale is 158,351 people with 42,720 households and a median annual income of $52,392. .

Therapy Affordability Meter for Palmdale, CA

Affordable with Planning

Therapy in Palmdale is generally within financial reach for the average family, but some budget planning may be needed for a real commitment to weekly counseling. Remember that your mental health and happiness are important. Check with your Palmdale therapist about insurance coverage or ask about sliding scale fees if there are any difficulties with accessibility. Low cost counseling and affordable therapy are also sometimes offered by listed city and university level clinics, check with your local Palmdale public health department.