Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center

In 1983, Guam established the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (DMHSA), in CHamoru, Dipattamenton Salut Hinasso Yan Abuson Amot. Prior to that date, the Guam Memorial Hospital provided all mental health services. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse later changed its name to Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC, pronounced GEB-WICK), which is accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

Mission:

To provide a culturally respectful, quality behavioral health services, that support and strengthen the well-being of the persons served, their families and the community in a safe environment

Values:

• Cultural Humility – Understanding of our cultural heritage and sensitivity to our consumers and their families.
• Achievement – Providing gold standard care by utilizing evidence-based program, policies and training while respecting and integrating cultural practices.
• Respect – Treating our consumers and their families, co-workers, and professionals from other organizations with respect and dignity.
• Engagement and cooperation with the persons and organizations working together for the benefit of our consumers.

GBHWC is the sole state entity providing comprehensive public behavioral health services to the children, adolescents, and adults of Guam and is the only mental health facility in the Western Pacific providing comprehensive public behavioral health services to children, adolescents, and adults. Consumers across the lifespan can access inpatient, outpatient, day treatment and residential, case management, counseling, and assessment services. Drug and alcohol medically assisted services are also available for adults. GBHWC provides a 24-hour Suicide Hotline (988), Community Crisis Counseling (671-647-8833), Mobile Crisis Services, and 24-hour intake services. GBHWC also has comprehensive prevention programs (PEACE). The GBWHC-PEACE program provides the Guam community and Guam’s agencies’ prevention trainings for suicide, alcohol, drugs, and tobacco use. All Guam behavioral health services offered are provided regardless of the person’s ability to pay, and GBHWC accepts most medical insurances. GBHWC offers high quality of care via its main facility in Tamuning, satellite offices in the J&G Commercial Center in Hagatna, and across several group homes. Most services are offered at the main facility in Tamuning while outpatient Drug and Alcohol (GBHWC – New Beginnings) and Children and Adolescent Services are offered at the J&G Commercial Center in Hagatna.

In 2022 (the most recent information available), GBHWC served a total of 4,119 consumers compared to the 3,360 consumers in 2020 and 3,790 consumers in 2021. Of the 4,119 consumers, 3,711 were seen on an outpatient basis and 795 individuals were seen for inpatient services. There were 1,330 individuals whom were seen for intake as walk-ins; 1, 119 people were seen via the mobile crisis response team, and there were 8,437 calls to the Guam 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Fifty eight percent of GBHWC consumers were male, 40% were female, and .8% identified as other. The top three ethnicities included (1) 68.3% Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander (including CHamoru, Filipino, Federated States of Micronesia, and Commonwealth of Northern Marianas); (2) 21.1% Asian (Japanese, Korean and Chinese); and (3) 7.7% White. Over 46% of GBHWC consumers are aged 25 to 44, with the second highest population aged between 45 and 64 at 20.9%. Children aged 0 to 12 were 4.7% of the consumer population with adolescents (aged 13 to 17) totaling 9.9% of the total consumers. GBHWC consumers have a wide range of diagnoses, covering virtually all major categories of the DSM. Among the most common diagnoses on Guam are bipolar and mood disorders, schizophrenia and other related diagnoses, and substance use disorders.