Bridget Lizama, Community Guidance Center outreach coordinator, talks about mental health during a meeting of the Saipan Rotary Club on Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.
AT a presentation during a Saipan Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, Community Guidance Center staff discussed mental health risk factors, and the mental health programs provided by the System of Care and Healthy Transitions programs.
The presenters were CGC’s outreach coordinator Bridget Lizama and Dr. Glenda George, director of behavioral health services.
Lizama said mental health issues related to trauma or stress can affect one in four individuals.
She said signs of good mental health include an ability to form “positive and respectful relationships,” and an ability to “identify, manage, and understand emotions.”
Lizama said individuals who may be suffering from poor mental health might withdraw from their regular routines, experience drastic change in their usual behavior, might have sudden changes in their eating or sleeping patterns, experience excess anxiety, and/or experience thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Lizama also shared information about the System of Care and Healthy Transitions programs.
System of Care provides mental health services and support to children and youth 21 years old and younger, who are experiencing or may be at-risk of developing severe emotional challenges.
Healthy Transitions focuses on improving access to treatment and support services for youth and young adults, ages 16-25, who have serious emotional disturbances or a serious mental illness.
Lizama said the CNMI has access to the 988 mental health emergency hotline. Residents can call the number if they are experiencing urgent mental health needs, such as suicide ideation.
For more information, call the Healthy Transitions program at (670) 323-6560/1 or the System of Care program at (670) 664-4604/5/6/7/8/9.
