The California Senate Select Committee on School Climate and Student Safety held a meeting last month to discuss mental health challenges youth in the state are experiencing, and possible solutions. Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Los Angeles County) said there are more young children with mental health issues than ever before, and the state needs to prioritize preventative measures, programs, and support for them.
Dr. Jeannine Topalian, past president of the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP), said mental health programs in California schools are underfunded.
“Underfunded school mental health programs disproportionately impact our most vulnerable populations. Unfortunately, minorities and at-promise students have less access to mental health services [and] are less likely to receive the mental care,” Topalian said.
Funding for school mental health programs can assist youth experiencing homelessness by providing more stability and a positive component in their lives. These youth often must adapt to abrupt changes, Topalian said.
Many adults with mental health conditions first notice symptoms when they are young. Topalian said about 50 percent of all mental health conditions are developed in people by the time they’re 14, and 75 percent are developed by age 24.
“There’s six-year-olds out there who are in crisis today, who are in need of a lot of support from mental health professionals, and what better place than a school—where that’s a hub for the community to provide these services,” Topalian said.
Many youth continue to face challenges accessing mental health services, which can be addressed through increased programming and community outreach to serve students in need, Topalian said.
“Investing in student mental health support has far-reaching benefits,” Topalian said.
Topalian said many school-based mental health professionals are overwhelmed with high caseloads. This prevents them from providing preventative care, as they are limited to providing reactive care.
“They’re not paying attention to those students because of their heavy caseload,” Topalian said.
Topalian expressed the need for a team-based approach with school board mental health professionals. She would like to see more student voices in mental health initiatives, and more funding for school-based mental health programs.
Joel Cisneros, administrator of Student Health and Human Services at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), spoke about the importance of stigma reduction, mental healthcare access, and workforce development.
“In the area of stigma reduction, we know that’s always a challenge in a district that’s as large as ours. We want to make sure we can support [students] in every way possible,” Cisneros said.
While LAUSD is working alongside parents, caregivers, students, and staff to develop and co-create solutions to the youth mental health crisis, it’s also focused on parental empowerment.
“One workshop we developed a few years ago was a really promising practice, recognizing that not all evidence-based practices are anchored around communities of color or diverse communities. So it was an opportunity to develop a Workshop Resilient Families (program), and it was developed in partnership with the community we served,” Cisneros said.
This September, LAUSD will continue its work to reach all schools in the district—as well as staff, parents, caregivers, and students—by holding presentations and workshops around suicide awareness and prevention.
Readers interested in learning more about California health policy can register to attend the 2024 Southern California State of Reform Health Policy Conference on Sept. 11 at the Westin Pasadena Hotel. An “Innovations in Care Coordination” panel will be held at 1 p.m.