CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES PILOT PROGRAM IN HIGH SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

SACRAMENTO — The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), in concert with The Children's Partnership (TCP), awarded $8 million to eight California high schools to serve as pilot sites to conduct the Peer-to-Peer Youth Mental Health Program. The awards are part of Governor Gavin Newsom's Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), a cornerstone of his Master Plan for Kids' Mental Health. The Peer-to-Peer Youth Mental Health Program will expand mental health care options for young Californians.
 
“We cannot rely on conventional medical models alone to address our nation's increasing youth mental health needs," said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “The fact is that teens listen to other teens. By building networks of peer-to-peer support, we can support young people who do not, or cannot, access traditional mental health support systems."
 
“Peer support in California high schools is a key strategy for promoting mental health resilience and well-being among adolescents," said CYBHI Director Dr. Sohil Sud. “By embedding these supportive structures in the educational system, we can lay the groundwork for statewide peer-to-peer mental health strategies, enhancing empathy, resilience, and solidarity among youth."

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: Nationwide, rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm are among the highest they've been in decades. Between 2019 and 2021, about one-third of California teens experienced serious psychological distress, with a 20 percent increase in adolescent suicides. Meanwhile, the nationwide mental health provider shortage is causing longer wait times for appointments with community-based mental health providers. Availability is particularly limited among the uninsured, people of color, people with low incomes, and people with disabilities.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: The program, made possible by CYBHI funding, was designed in collaboration with youth to identify promising, evidence-based peer-to-peer interventions to improve youth mental health. Studies show that by proactively leveraging strong social support networks, peer-to-peer programs in schools can mitigate provider shortages, reduce mental health stigma, and even offer a workforce development pipeline for youth. The collaborative partnerships with the eight awarded high schools will help DHCS and TCP identify best practices for peer-to-peer programs that can be implemented statewide, serve as a model for national efforts, and contribute to advocacy for sustainable funding and infrastructure for youth-driven, culturally responsive peer support programs in California.

HOW FUNDING WILL BE USED: Awarded high schools will create or build upon existing youth peer-to-peer programs, including investing in training programs to develop sustainable infrastructure for youth-centered programs, building wellness centers on campus as a space for peer counseling, and conducting interactive health fairs.

“In response to the existing youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, young people across California advocated for culturally responsive, gender-affirming mental health support," said Mayra E. Alvarez, TCP President. “We are excited to partner with these eight high schools to support unique, community-specific peer support programs. We know that uplifting community voices through initiatives like this drives good public policy, and we are excited to see how this program influences future mental health investments."

ABOUT THE AWARDEES: The following eight California high schools received CYBHI awards: El Cerrito High School in El Cerrito; Da Vinci RISE High School in El Segundo; Nevada Union High School in Grass Valley; Oakland Technical High School in Oakland; Serrano High School in Phelan; Sierra High School in San Bernardino; Mission Hills High School in San Marcos; and Antioch High School in Antioch.

 “We asked young people what they need to solve this crisis, and they told us: stronger peer-to-peer support networks. And that's what we're supporting," said Autumn Boylan, Deputy Director of DHCS' Office of Strategic Partnerships.

Raven Jones, Director of Peer-to-Peer Mental Health at TCP, provided examples of how the awards will benefit two of the schools: “The Da Vinci RISE High School peer-to-peer mentoring program is being built into a newly launched mental health career pathway. This will be RISE's first career technical education pathway, enabling students to gain career experience and dual enrollment, alongside critical mental health skills and support.

Mission Hills High School is investing in a peer support mentorship program that will allow students to enroll in a dual enrollment college course, co-taught by a California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) professor, school counselor, and teacher. This unique course structure will offer students both credits through both the San Marcos Unified School District and CSUSM, with peer support mentors earning field experience hours while working in the student-led wellness center."

Schools are also encouraged to spread the word about DHCS' two Behavioral Health Virtual Services Platforms that provide free, safe, and confidential mental health support to young people and their families: BrightLife Kids for children ages 0-12 and their parents or caregivers and Soluna for young people ages 13-25. For more information, please email CYBHI@dhcs.ca.gov.

BIGGER PICTURE: California has invested billions in the CYBHI, a cornerstone of Governor Newsom's Master Plan for Kids' Mental Health. The CYBHI includes robust investments in mental health and wraparound services for young people that are designed to meet Californians where they are, including extensive support for schools, educators, and the children they serve. The strategies the CYBHI is implementing, including the launch of the Peer-To-Peer Youth Mental Health Program, lay the foundation and develop the infrastructure to support a more coordinated, youth-centered, equitable, prevention-oriented, and accessible system in which young people can find the support they need when, where, and in the way they need it most.

California is transforming its entire mental health and substance use disorder treatment system to provide better behavioral health care for all Californians. Learn more at mentalhealth.ca.gov.​​