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California's historic investment in youth behavioral health delivers results across the state

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Jun 29, 2026

California's historic investment in youth behavioral health delivers results across the state

New findings show California's children and youth behavioral health investments are making a difference

What you need to know: New findings across multiple reports highlight the impact of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) — a more than $4 billion investment designed to expand access to care, strengthen the behavioral health workforce, support schools and communities, and improve outcomes for children, youth, and families statewide.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom today announced the release of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Legacy Report, Advancing Behavioral Health: From Moment to Movement, a comprehensive look at the statewide actions, investments, and system changes undertaken through the multi-billion dollar effort to transform youth behavioral health.

New data and findings from the Legacy Report and companion evaluations show how California's investments are expanding access to behavioral healthcare, strengthening the workforce, increasing support in schools and communities, and improving outcomes for children, youth, and families statewide.

Protecting the health and wellbeing of children is some of the most important work we do — and it's critical to California's success. The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative is helping ensure children, youth and families find support where, when, and in the ways they need it most. Together, we are building a stronger behavioral health system that will benefit Californians for generations to come.

Governor Gavin Newsom

When California invests in the well-being of our children, we invest in the future of our state. The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative has shown what's possible when communities, schools, healthcare providers, and families unite around the shared goal of giving kids the best start in life — especially when it comes to their mental health. CYBHI's legacy is reflected not only in stronger systems and expanded access to care, but in the thousands of children and families who now have support when they need it most.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom

As of Spring 2026, CYBHI investments have delivered measurable results across the state:
  • More than 1,600 organizations are conducting over 2,000 activities to deliver critical behavioral health services, create dedicated youth spaces, transform schools into hubs of wellness, expand community supports, provide high-quality trainings, engage parents and caregivers, and more.
  • More than 70,000 individuals have been supported along the behavioral health workforce pathway — including more than 4,000 Certified Wellness Coaches — helping California build the workforce needed for long-term system change.
  • Digital services such as Soluna and BrightLife Kids have supported more than 500,000 children, youth, and families in all 58 counties, the majority of whom are receiving professional mental health services for the first time through these platforms.
  • More than 230,000 reimbursement claims for behavioral health services delivered through school districts, public colleges, and care providers have been financed by the CYBHI Fee Schedule program, resulting in $11.3 million in new revenue to sustain school-linked services.
  • Public awareness campaigns have garnered over 4 billion impressions statewide, reaching young people and families with messages centered on reducing stigma, preventing suicide, mitigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences, and promoting help‑seeking.

"It has been inspiring to witness Californians rise up and turn a mental health moment into a mental health movement," said Dr. Sohil Sud, Director of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. "Young people helped shape this work from the very beginning, and their leadership continues to drive the future of behavioral health in California."

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The CYBHI Legacy Report adds to a growing body of insights of the initiative's impact on young people. An outside evaluation of the initiative by the research and analytics firm Mathematica suggests outcomes for California's youth are improving.  Since the launch of the CYBHI:
  • Youth are receiving behavioral healthcare at the highest level recorded in California since 2016–2017. Receipt of care increased across populations studied and for most regions, and the largest increases by gender was observed among boys.
  • Emergency department visits by youth for several behavioral health conditions declined.
  • Suicidal ideation declined substantially, and deaths by suicide also declined.
  • Chronic absenteeism among students declined substantially, and absences related to mental health concerns also declined.
  • Screening for adverse childhood events (ACEs) and utilization of services that serve a caregiver and child together (known as dyadic services) increased substantially.
  • More students reported knowing where to go for behavioral health help at school and perceived their schools as helping with alcohol or other drug issues.
  • Among youth ages 12–17, California's rate of first-time marijuana use decreased below the national average for the first time.

Findings are available on the CYBHI Evaluation Hub website, including eight new county profiles, bringing the total to 17 county profiles statewide, a data dashboard, and special topic reports on Certified Wellness Coaches and the CYBHI Fee Schedule Program. Additional reports will be published in the coming weeks.

"The CYBHI evaluation found that California made meaningful progress toward a more visible, coordinated, prevention-oriented, and youth-centered behavioral health system," said Rick McManus, Principal Researcher at Mathematica. "CYBHI investments strengthened the foundations for long-term improvement, including expanding access points, prevention infrastructure, workforce capacity, cross-sector coordination, and awareness of available support. The next step is ensuring these investments consistently translate into timely, affordable, and effective care for all children, youth, and families."

California is also delivering on its commitment to support young people in the ways they are seeking, according to a recent report from The Social Changery.  The Youth at the Center Progress Report reflects on how CYBHI investments align with 12 calls-to-action from more than 600 youth, families, and community members. The report highlights areas of progress, shares community perspectives, and identifies opportunities for continued growth.

"California has made an unprecedented commitment to youth mental health. Billions of dollars are flowing into communities, " said Dayna Barrios, Senior Collective Impact Manager at The Social Changery.  "Statewide campaigns are changing how people talk about mental health, reaching young people through messages crafted by their peers. A new generation of Certified Wellness Coaches, drawn from the communities they serve, is showing up in schools and neighborhoods across the state. Career pathways are opening for young people who want to become part of the healing workforce themselves. Culturally grounded organizations are receiving direct investment to deliver support in ways that honor their communities' traditions and strengths."

"As a CYBHI youth fellow, I've seen how powerful it is when young people are embraced as partners and not just treated like afterthoughts," said Khoa-Nathan Ngo, mental health advocate and CYBHI Youth Fellow. "Youth engagement strengthens our behavioral health system by grounding it in our lived experience and helping create supports that we need and feel like they were made for us."

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Taken together, these materials reflect the arc of California's youth-centered transformation under the CYBHI. The release of the CYBHI Legacy Report marks an important milestone, offering a clear record of what has been built to support California's young people — and providing a foundation for continued learning, accountability, and improvement.

Work underway through CYBHI continues to build the foundation for long-term transformation through complementary initiatives including the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), BH-CONNECT and CalAIM.

"This work is about more than expanding services — it's about changing systems and changing conversations," said California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson. "California is building a future where every child, youth and family can access support with dignity, belonging and hope."

All referenced statewide reports, county profiles, special topic studies, and the new CYBHI Legacy Report are now available online.

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