Addressing San Diego’s Behavioral Health Crisis With Expert, Compassionate Care

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year, with 1 in 20 experiencing serious mental illness. Each year, 1 in 6 people ages 6 to 17 experiences a mental health disorder, and for individuals ages 10 to 14, suicide is the secondleading cause of death in the United States.

“Our communities need help,” says Dr. Fadi Nicolas, chief medical officer of Sharp HealthCare Behavioral Health Services. “When individuals struggle with behavioral health issues, multiple interpersonal problems can arise, causing conflict in school, work, family life, and connecting with peers and friends.”

Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital’s legacy of caring for the San Diego community

As the region’s largest private behavioral health care provider, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital is a critical partner in San Diego County’s efforts to address the ongoing mental health crisis. For 60 years, Sharp Mesa Vista has treated more than 200,000 people of all ages facing serious mental illness, including substance use disorders.

Sharp is a premier provider of crisis psychiatric evaluations, assessing more than 3,200 patients in county emergency rooms and facilitating over 72,000 outpatient visits each year. Sharp Mesa Vista’s intensive care unit annually cares for nearly 1,000 patients who experience significant mental health conditions. The $10 million specialty unit completed a remodel in March 2023 thanks to a $1 million gift from the Shiley Foundation and a $500,000 matching grant from the David C. Copley Foundation.

In addition, Sharp McDonald Center, an addiction treatment facility nearby, cares for patients with substance use disorders. Last year, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose. The synthetic opioid fentanyl is the number one killer among people ages 18 to 45, nationally and locally. Both behavioral health facilities are dedicated to empowering patients to reach their fullest potential. Experts include board-certified psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners, registered nurses, addictionologists, child and adult psychologists, social workers, recreational therapists, and additional behavioral health professionals.

“Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to emphasize the importance of caring for our mental health and the mental health of those we love,” says Dr. Nicolas. “Tending to emotional, psychological and behavioral health needs is essential to our overall well-being.”

Programs and services include:

• Adult behavioral health services

Behavioral health support for military veterans

• Chemical dependency and substance use disorder programs

• Child and adolescent behavioral health services

• Clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Cognitive treatment

• Dual recovery program

• Eating disorders treatment

Electroconvulsive therapy

• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)

• Older adult behavioral health services

• Psychiatric outpatient treatment

• Trauma and PTSD recovery

• After-school cognitive therapy for teens

As the San Diego region’s largest private behavioral health care provider, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital serves as a critical county partner for mental health services. Learn more at sharp.com/mesavista

Sharp McDonald Center offers the most comprehensive hospital-based program in San Diego for treating addiction, crossing the entire continuum of care. Learn more at sharp.com/mcdonald.