It should be noted that except for India, all the programs are from developed and relatively high-resource countries. Two programs in non-English languages (7 in Table 2 and 10 in Table 1) were mentioned in publications and examined using Google Translate. In addition, studies on these programs should be carried out by external, disinterested evaluators and researchers to minimize potential research biases, and disseminate the results transparently. However, empirical evidence on these programs is limited; despite our thorough searches, few research publications on the programs were found.

In school-based intervention research, mechanisms typically include specific student psychological, behavioral, or interpersonal processes, intervention skill use, or teacher adherence to a classroom-based intervention. These include a pilot clinical trial NOFO for the development of optimized interventions (PAR ; US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, 2021b) and a NOFO that supports well-powered studies of optimized interventions that have already undergone pilot testing (PAR ; Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, 2021a). NIMH funds school-based intervention research through a suite of clinical trial Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). A deployment-focused approach that includes school and community partner perspectives from the outset helps to ensure that the resultant intervention can feasibly be implemented within the school context using existing school and community resources (Weisz, 2014).

Children and young people’s mental health: the case for action

A 14-month, community-based career-development program for high school students. The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) is bringing services to the places and spaces where youth spend time – like schools! Stakeholder engagement activities are under way focusing on children, youth, families, community members, academia experts, education, government, and interagency partners. The report, which is a result of meetings with over 600 individuals facilitated by 26 partner organizations, provides 12 calls-to-action for the state of California to consider as it works to transform the way it supports the emotional, mental, and behavioral health needs of young people and their families. Create coverage pathways to access behavioral health services.

Community Mental Health Services: Access, Benefits, and Challenges

These stakeholder activities will provide opportunities to engage throughout the planning, design, and implementation of the CYBHI. It reflects CalHHS’ guiding principles of active listening, focusing on equity, and engaging individuals and communities to ensure programs are informed and developed with their input. This report is foundational to the https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2023/call-national-strategy-strengthen-youth-behavioral-health-workforce CYBHI’s goal of ensuring the voices and needs of youth, and their families are at the forefront of California’s efforts. Resources such as palm cards, posters, talking points, and more to learn about youth suicide prevention and how to support youth before, during, and after a crisis. A public education campaign with the goal of reducing stigma around mental health and inspiring California teens to seek help before mental health challenges escalate. Reduce stigma and raise awareness around emotional, mental, and behavioral health using culturally- and linguistically-appropriate campaigns.

The CYBHI and our partners have made important strides in setting the stage for transformative change and creating an equity-focused system for youth and families. As of June 2025, more than 319,000 youth and families are using Soluna and BrightLife Kids. Discover how CYBHI services are helping them along the way.

What are the key objectives of youth mental health initiatives?

• The report, which is a result of meetings with over 600 individuals facilitated by 26 partner organizations, provides 12 calls-to-action for the state of California to consider as it works to transform the way it supports the emotional, mental, and behavioral health needs of young people and their families.
• NIMH defines a mechanism of action as a factor that an intervention intends to modify based on a hypothesis suggesting that modification will result in improved mental disorder risk, symptoms, or functional outcomes.
• By incorporating community members at every stage, the study highlights the significance of involving youth in the design of interventions that directly impact them.
• The California Department of Health Care Services attributes the delays to a “learning curve” for both the state and schools.
• In summary, optimized school-based mental health interventions and implementation strategies have the potential to address the vast unmet need for effective and accessible youth mental health prevention, early intervention, and treatment services.

Mental health experts regard school as an ideal setting for children to receive help. This means students could lose newly gained access to services. Our collective work in 2023 laid the foundation for a more coordinated, youth-centered, equitable, prevention-oriented, and accessible system – a system in which young people can find the support they need when, where, and in the way they need most. “The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative is a part of historic investments to redefine the way our child and family-serving systems help children, youth and families thrive. Additional practices and programs relating to youth drop-in centers or youth-driven programs that are designed with, by, and for youth may be considered eligible for grant funding with the submission of supplementary material. Serving as the core of the Governor’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, the CYBHI is built on a foundation of equity and is designed for and with children, youth and families.

That money has paid for mental health apps, education campaigns, and mental health workforce training programs, among a number of other efforts. Despite the slow start for the new school billing program, other mental health efforts are underway through other components of the state’s $4.7 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative that launched in 2021. California made a huge one-time investment in youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic as rates of depression, anxiety and eating disorders surged among children and teens. This partnership between PHI and the CDPH, OHE aims to facilitate a deep investment in children and youth (ages 0-25), parents and caregivers who live in communities that are historically unserved, underserved and inappropriately served, including five priority populations, which will enable select local organizations to develop youth-centered, and co-created public health campaigns.