#706 | JULY 29, 2025

Whole-Person, Whole-Life Mental Health: How Mentis Supports the Napa Valley Community

By Charlotte Hajer, PhD, Development Director, MENTIS

At Mentis, we believe that mental health is not a luxury: it’s a foundation. For more than 77 years, we’ve been providing mental health and wellness services to people of all ages across Napa County. Today, as our community navigates increasing stressors from economic insecurity, climate change, and divisive politics, Mentis is proud to offer a continuum of care that spans the full lifespan, from prevention to treatment to recovery.

Mental Wellness for All Ages

What makes Mentis unique is our whole-person, whole-life approach. We serve children, teens, adults, older adults, and families with culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based care that meets people where they are, both literally and emotionally.

Our youth services reach children as early as kindergarten, providing school-based therapy, skill-building groups, and behavioral health support in classrooms across Napa County. We partner with local school districts to ensure young people can access care without barriers — because early support can prevent long-term mental health struggles.

For teens and young adults, we provide individual therapy, family therapy, as well as peer-led wellness programs that foster healthy social connection, build coping skills, and empower youth to become mental health advocates and leaders in their communities. Our Teen Council trains diverse high school students across the county to support their peers, reduce stigma, and foster a culture of care in their schools and communities.

Adults in our community face their own unique stressors: job pressures, caregiving responsibilities, housing instability, or trauma. Mentis offers outpatient therapy for adults navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or life transitions. We also provide residential services and case management to individuals who live with chronic, severe mental illness, ensuring they have the tools and supports they need to maintain stability and independence. We’re a critical part of Napa County’s safety net, as one of the only providers accepting Medi-Cal beneficiaries and uninsured individuals, and offering services in English and Spanish.

Expanding Prevention and Community-Based Services

In recent years, Mentis has expanded beyond clinic-based therapy to offer upstream, community-based wellness programs that address the root causes of mental health challenges. Through partnerships with schools, community school-based counseling, and culturally relevant services that reflect the needs and strengths of Napa County.

We also work closely with Napa County’s Health and Human Service Agency, and advocate for policies and systems that advance equity in mental health. Whether it’s through training a new generation of diverse mental health professionals, launching lived experience-based leadership programs, or removing barriers to care for immigrants and farmworker families, Mentis is committed to creating a more inclusive mental health ecosystem.

Breaking Barriers, Building Belonging

At the heart of our work is the belief that everyone deserves access to mental health care, no matter their income, insurance status, language, identity, or background. Our services are bilingual, affordable, and deeply embedded in the communities we serve.

We are proud to partner with more than 40 local agencies to provide wraparound care, housing support, school-based counseling, and culturally relevant services that reflect the needs and strengths of Napa County.



We also work closely with Napa County’s Health and Human Service Agency, and advocate for policies and systems that advance equity in mental health. Whether it’s through training a new generation of diverse mental health professionals, launching lived experience-based leadership programs, or removing barriers to care for immigrants and farmworker families, Mentis is committed to creating a more inclusive mental health ecosystem.

How to Get Involved or Get Support

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health, Mentis is here to help. We offer a warm, confidential intake process and will work with you to find the support that best fits your needs. You can learn more about our programs or request services at mentisnapa.org, or call us at (707) 255-0966. Dial extension 132 to speak directly with our Intake Coordinator.

And if you believe in mental health for all, we invite you to join us — whether by volunteering, donating, partnering, or attending one of our community events. Together, we can build a Napa Valley where everyone has the tools and support they need to thrive.

At Mentis, we know that mental health is community health. We’re proud to walk alongside our neighbors on their wellness journeys, every step of the way.

150 Years and Counting

By Camille Kaijankoski, CanDo President and Chief of Rehabilitation Therapy Services at Department of State Hospitals-Napa (DSH-Napa)

The Department of State Hospitals-Napa turns 150 years old this year! 150 years of treating people who have mental illness, utilizing a variety of interventions to help move them to the next level of care. We also work to destigmatize mental illness within our hospital, helping people to learn they are not their diagnosis, just like someone isn’t their physical diagnosis. We work to destigmatize mental illness in the community as well. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than one in five adults live with a mental illness in the United States.

The original grand historic castle at the Napa “Asylum for the Insane” was stunning, made of Vermont slate, Colfax marble, and about 10 million bricks produced in an on-site factory. It was completed in 1874. There were 7 towers, and the central tower reached heights of 175 feet. The hospital grounds totaled 208 acres and included farmland, orchards, and a dairy. 

The first patient was admitted into the Napa Asylum for the Insane on November 15, 1875; in January 1876, the first patients were transferred from Stockton Asylum. Most were homeless or suffered from alcoholism. In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake caused some structural damage to the castle, and some modifications had to be made to the towers for safety. In 1924, the Napa Asylum was renamed to Napa State Hospital. In June of 1950, the demolition of the massive castle began. In 1954, the new Receiving and Treatment Center opened and is still used today. 

Approximately 2,335 employees work at the now-called Department of State Hospitals - Napa. All staff employed at the state hospital have a role in supporting the patients. One department at the hospital is Rehabilitation Therapy Services. The department is made up of 5 different types of therapists: Art, Music, Dance/Movement, Occupational, and Recreation.



Each therapist has a specific bachelor’s or master’s degree and are specifically trained to help patients through their healing journey, and preparation for discharge. The therapist is a member of the patient’s treatment team and primarily provides treatment groups to support the patients. Treatment groups are crafted to support the patients, engaging them in an activity they are interested in, and having clearly set goals. 

Camille Kaijankoski, Head of the Rehabilitation Therapy Department at DSH-Napa, worked closely with Life on Earth Art for nearly a year. Together they created a first-of-its-kind program supporting hundreds of people. (PHOTO BY KELSEY FLOYD in the Petaluma Argus-Courier, June 3, 2022)

Enjoy this Inspiring Patient-Created and -Performed Music Video from DSH-Napa

This fall the rehabilitation therapy department is helping the patients put on our second musical. The script and music were written by the patients, the backgrounds were drawn by a patient, and now the props are being crafted in various treatment groups. Participation in the musical provides so many therapeutic benefits for the patients who participate. We could not be more excited. 

A huge thanks to Community Projects for the donation of costumes! We just have a few items still needed and supplies for a nest we are making for the set. All donations are tax deductible. 

If you happen to have any of the items on the list lying around and would like to donate them, we will gladly accept them; we do not need new items. The Amazon links (in pink) are included to provide a visual of what is needed. Contact camille@nvcando.org. 



While we celebrate 150 years of treating mental health, I am hopeful this article will inspire you to help us destigmatize mental illness, foster acceptance, and kindness.

Other Interesting Tidbits About DSH-Napa

• It is the oldest continuously operating State Hospital in California.
• The hospital was once a self-sufficient entity, operating its own farms including poultry ranches, orchards, a bakery, and prolific produce gardens.
• Off-grounds, northeast of Yountville, the Napa State Hospital Farm was established to raise prize-winning beef cattle that provided meat for the asylum, Veterans Home and San Quentin Prison.
• It once stretched from the Napa River all the way to Skyline Park.
• An underground cog railroad provided quick transport of meals and laundry between the outstretched wings of the asylum and its 12 different wards.
• NSH kitchen staff, then and now:

• Treatment philosophies have evolved over the decades, transitioning from the moral treatment concept to a community-based bio-psychosocial rehabilitation approach.
• A monument was unveiled in 2023 at DSH-Napa as part of the California Memorial Project, dedicated to over 8,000 individuals who died at the hospital between 1876 and 1964 and were buried in unmarked graves (see Part III: The Mystery Behind the History of Skyline Wilderness Park below).
• Patients included people with failing health, who attempted suicide, who had syphilis, whose families committed them, and those who displayed bizarre behavior or manic depression. 
• Even as late as the 1950s, some women, like Sara Kathryn Arledge, artist and filmmaker, were forcibly committed by their husbands.
• A new museum is being created on the hospital grounds to showcase the history of mental health treatment.

Sara Kathryn Arledge

— AI Google search, Wikipedia, Rebecca Yerger in the Napa Valley Register

Overview of Resources and Services in Napa County

Napa County offers a variety of mental health resources for residents, including crisis services, treatment programs, and support for specific populations like youth and families. These services are provided through Napa County Health and Human Services and community-based organizations. 

Crisis Services

• 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 707-253-4711
• For people experiencing a mental health crisis: Dial 988
• For those experiencing a life-threatening emergency, calling 911 is recommended. 
• Napa County Crisis Stabilization Services (CSS): Provides immediate support for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, with 24/7 availability and no appointment needed. 
• Napa County Mental Health Services Mobile Response Team: Offers on-site support for individuals in crisis, available 24/7. 
• Napa County Suicide Prevention Council: Focuses on suicide prevention efforts, including community awareness and support. 

Treatment Programs

• Adult Behavioral Health Services: Offers a range of services, including case management, outpatient treatment, medication services, and counseling for adults with mental health needs. 
• Child and Family Behavioral Health Services (CFBHS): Provides services for children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth, including individual and family support, intensive case management, and education-related mental health services. 
• Youth Substance Abuse Program (Wolfe Center): Offers substance abuse prevention and treatment services for youth in Napa County. 
• Aldea Counseling Services: Provides individual, family, and group psychotherapy, behavioral support services, and psychiatric services. 

Support Services

• Adult Resource Center: Offers peer-based support services for adults with mental health needs. 
• Case Management: Provides support services to help individuals access community resources and achieve their wellness goals. 
• Mental Health Access: Helps individuals connect with appropriate mental health services and resources. 
• ParentGuidance.org: Offers resources and support for parents, including access to on-demand courses and information. 
• Bright Life Kids and Soluna: Provide support for youth through online apps, telecoaching, and web portals. 

Additional Resources

• Napa County Behavioral Health Board: Oversees mental health services in the county. 
• Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act: Provides mental health and social services in collaboration with Napa Superior Court. 
• Mental Health Services Act (MHSA): Funds various mental health programs and services in Napa County. 
• Here again from our July 1 CanDo Connection is the list of local Napa Valley agencies that support those who have mental illness and/or other disabilities.

NAMI California is a grassroots organization of families and individuals whose lives have been affected by serious mental illness. They advocate for lives of quality and respect, without discrimination and stigma, for all their constituents. They provide leadership in advocacy, legislation, policy development, education and support throughout California.

How to Get Involved

• Join NAMI
• Share your insights
• Find your local NAMI California affiliate
• Attend NAMI events
• Discover other ways to get involved

If you represent a local nonprofit, you may submit a SPOTLIGHT EVENT or VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY by completing our online form.

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Highlights from CanDo’s Community Calendar

July 29 - Aug. 4

Now through Aug. 8: Mentis Summer Youth Wellness Programs - Ages 13-24

Now through Aug., Selected Sundays: Napa Valley Players 2025 Summer Staged Reading Series 

Now through Aug. 15: CanDo’s Pro-Inclusion Napa Positive Poster Display at Napa City Hall

Now through Aug. 30: Walking Tours of Historic Downtown Napa and Tulocay Cemetery

Now through Sept. 1: The Beauty of Napa Valley: Photography of Bob McClenahan - Free exhibit at CIA at Copia. 

Aug. 2: ​​Alston Park First Saturday Volunteer Event - Napa County Resource Conservation District. Monthly on the first Saturday.

Give!Guide

CanDo Garden

Napa Valley Food Project

Food Rescue

Gleaning Project

Pro-Inclusion Napa

Stow It-Don't Throw It

Neighborhood Reads

New to CanDo? Want to receive this nifty eNewsletter? It comes out bright and early the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, full of ways you can volunteer and connect with community.