(Menlo Park) – Bringing together experts to talk about adolescents struggling with mental health issues and identifying common stressors in young people’s lives that can lead to a mental health crisis are the goals of “Mind Matters: Nurturing Mental Wellness In Adolescents,” a virtual town hall to be hosted by Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), on Wednesday, September 28, from 12:00pm to 1:30pm.
“For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic may very well feel like it’s over, but for tens of thousands of Californians, especially students, the mental health challenges they’re facing after nearly two years of being or feeling isolated are daunting,” said Becker. “My goal with this town hall is very simple. I want to make sure those who are suffering – and the parents of those who are suffering – know they are not alone, know there are people and resources to help them, and know the first step to getting help is just picking up the phone.”
Anyone who would like to register and submit questions in advance can do so at https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/event/town-hall-sept-28-adolescent-mental-health.
To watch the town hall, viewers can go to https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/.
Joining Senator Becker for this discussion will be:
- The Honorable Marico Sayoc, Los Gatos City Councilman and Executive Director of Counseling and Support Services for Youth (CASSY) in Milpitas;
- Mary Cheryl B. Gloner, MBA, MPH, Chief Executive Officer of Project Safety Net in Palo Alto;
- The Honorable Chelsea Bonini, San Mateo County Board of Education Trustee and San Mateo County Behavioral Health Commissioner; and
- David J. Miklowitz, Ph.D., Director of the Max Gray Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Program at UCLA’s Semel Institute.
According to the “State of Student Wellness,” a report issued by ACLU California Action and The CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap earlier this year:
- More than one-fifth of the students surveyed (22%) felt they might be traumatized and would not be the same because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Over 63% of students said they had experienced “an emotional meltdown” and 45% reported feeling depressed.
- Fear of being stigmatized by parents and other students has prevented students from seeking out mental health services.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2021:
- More than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Nearly half (44%) reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year.
- More than half (55%) reported they experienced emotional abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including swearing at, insulting, or putting down the student.
- More than one-in-ten (11%) experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult in the home, including hitting, beating, kicking, or physically hurting the student.
- More than a quarter (29%) reported a parent or other adult in their home lost a job.
California’s 2022-23 state budget, which was enacted into law this summer, attempts to provide funding for programs to assist those in need, including:
- $250 million over three years to address the behavioral health needs for people under age 25. The money is split between a number of programs, including:
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- $50 million for a Youth Suicide Reporting and Crisis Response Pilot Program.
- $85 million for a wellness and resilience support program.
- $75 million to develop digital support services for remote mental health assessment and intervention.
- $15 million for video services to help parents of children struggling with mental health issues.
- $10 million to develop peer-to-peer mental health support programs.
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PRESS CONTACT: Evan Goldberg at evan.goldberg@sen.ca.gov or (916) 616-9811