As a lifelong resident of Brawley, I love my hometown and chose to raise my children in Brawley, as I wanted them to have the same experiences that I did as a child and adolescent. The safety, security and comfort of a small town. Cruising up and down Main Street in the hand-me-down car with the stereo blaring the latest hits from a cassette player. Friday night football games on the home field. Getting up early on the day of the Cattle Call Parade to place my lawn chair on a curb and get a perfect view of the colorful floats and marching bands. Our parents knew we were safe.
Unfortunately, life and time does not stand still, and Brawley is no longer the same place it was in the ‘70s and ‘80s. We are living in different times, and we have changed with the times. Main Street in Brawley is no longer what it once was. Instead, we shop at Walmart, the Imperial Valley Mall, or the internet. We also have the Highway 86 bypass that diverts vehicles and visitors away from Main Street Brawley. The age of technology, internet shopping, and big-box stores such as Costco and Walmart have arrived.Â
Yes, we are growing with the times and are also dealing directly with society’s negative issues. Poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse are amongst the issues. Per capita, our behavioral health issues are great and overwhelming at times. The Northend is in need of help dealing with some of these issues.
As a small community we need resources. One of these resources is the Northern Horizons Project. Yes, it is a need. This project can assist in providing critical behavioral health services that are needed in the Northend. Individuals from Brawley, Westmorland, Calipatria, and Niland often have transportation difficulties. Appointments are missed or require rescheduling. When we speak of behavioral health services, consistency is the key to successful outcomes. The Northern Horizons Project will assist in mitigating these issues by establishing a facility in Brawley to provide the needed behavioral health services.Â
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The taxpayers of the Northend of Imperial County are in dire need of access and assistance to behavioral health services. Healthy adults and healthy children make a better community. As a taxpaying citizen of Brawley, and a school psychologist with 30 years of experience in the behavioral health field, I have witnessed the positive life transformations that Imperial County Behavioral Health Services has developed. At this time, I ask the Imperial County Supervisors to bring optimism to the Northern Horizon.
Veronica Galarte Halcon is a Brawley resident.