1. Mental Health & Wellness Sacramento Safari February 25, 2019 Shereen Walter swalter@capta.org

2. Mental Health and Wellness
Why This Topic Is Important:
Emotional health is an integral part of overall health, as physical and mental health are intricately linked.
Sound youth mental health includes more than the absence of disorders. It includes:
Effective coping skills
Ability to form positive relationships
Adapt in the face of challenges
Function well at home, in school, and in life
Positive emotional health is critical to equipping young people for the challenges of growing up and living as healthy adults.

4. Statistics
An estimated 21% of California youth ages need help for emotional or mental health problems.
Only about one-third of
those who need help
received counseling.
Kidsdata.org

5. When not adequately addressed, mental illness is linked to:
Reduced academic achievement
Increased school suspensions
Chronic school absences
Credit deficiency

6. Early intervention is key
Early intervention can
Limit the progression of
emotional distress and/or
mental illness
Improve students social,
behavioral and academic
functioning at school

7. Why provide mental health services at school?
Schools are typically the primary place where students interact. Families are much more likely to utilize mental and physical health services if those services are located on the school campus.

8. What can schools do? Improve School Climate
Schools with a positive school climate reduce the need for mental health services
Increase School Based Services
Look for Community Collaborations
A Guide to Increase Mental
Health Services for Students
Project Cal-Well

9. Atascadero HS Wellness Center

10. Martin Luther King Middle School

11. Available Funding:
Education funding through the Local Control Funding Formula
Categorical funding
IDEA
Private foundations
Partnerships with county offices of education and county behavioral health
Medi-Cal reimbursement for services

12. Advocating for Mental Health
Local Control & Accountability Plan - LCAP
AB 2246 – Board Policy on Pupil Suicide – is law!
Requires the governing board of a LEA 7-12 to adopt a policy on pupil suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention
Must specifically address the needs of high-risk groups
Must include suicide awareness and prevention training for teachers
AB 8 Chu
Would require a school or county office of education and a charter school to have at least one mental health professional for every 600 pupils generally accessible to pupils on campus during school hours. 

14. Other things you can do:
Youth Mental Health First Aid training
Contact Monica Nepomuceno
NAMI on Campus
Parent Education Nights
Provide Resources
Talk about mental health

16. Shereen Walter swalter@capta.org