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 2020 (Fiscal year October 2019 – September 2020), GBHWC served a total of 3,516 consumers with slightly more males (53%) than females (47%). The top three ethnicities included (1) 66.1% Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander (including CHamoru, Filipino, Federated States of Micronesia, and Commonwealth of Northern Marianas); (2) 22.5% Asian (Japanese, Korean and Chinese); and (3) 9% Caucasian. Over 42.2% of GBHWC consumers are aged 25 to 44, with the second highest population older than 45 years old (22.9%; 45-64 years-old). Children and adolescents comprised 15.4% (n=540) of the total consumers. Most of the GBHWC referred consumers are uninsured, with 58.8% unemployed and 13.6% permanently unemployed. Most consumers are receiving Adult Outpatient Mental Health Services (1,432 consumers), followed by Drug and Alcohol (284 consumers), and Children and Adolescent Services (282 consumers). Due to COVID-19 pandemic, GBHWC closed its offsite facilities and only operated on crisis mode. Thus, a significant drop in admissions from the previous years across all programs were noted. GBHWC consumers have a wide range of diagnoses, covering virtually all major categories of the DSM. Among the most common diagnoses on Guam are Adjustment Disorder, Anxiety-spectrum illnesses, substance use disorders, depressive disorders, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, and bipolar spectrum disorders.

Contact Information

Site Director: Mary K. Fegurgur, M.S.W., Psy.D.

Email address: Mary.Fegurgur@gbhwc.guam.gov

Phone number: (671) 647-5731

Address: 790 Gov. Camacho Rd., Tamuning, Guam 96913