Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health

Putting Our Kids First

The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) is part of the Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, a historic investment by the State of California that takes a “whole child” approach to address the factors that contribute to the mental health and well-being of our children and youth.

Learn More About the Other Master Plan Pillars:

About the CYBHI

Centering the needs of youth and families

At the core of the Master Plan, the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) is reimagining and transforming the way California supports children, youth and families.

By centering the needs of young people and uniting the efforts of the agencies and organizations that serve them, the initiative seeks to ensure kids and families can find support for their emotional, mental and behavioral health needs, when, where and in the way they need it most.

View the full CYBHI 2023: Implementing the Vision Annual Report now.

Learn More

Strategic Areas

Designed with, for and by children, youth and families

The CYBHI’s approaches were designed with the input of hundreds of children, youth, families, subject matter experts, behavioral health professionals, educators, community-based organizations and many others.

Workforce Training and Capacity

Create a larger, more representative workforce supporting the emotional, mental and behavioral health of California’s young people.

Learn More

Behavioral Health Ecosystem Infrastructure

Develop and transform the infrastructure supporting the behavioral health of our children, youth and families to ensure there is no wrong door for help.

Learn More

Coverage

Create coverage pathways to access behavioral health services.

Learn More

Public Awareness

Reduce stigma and raise awareness around emotional, mental, and behavioral health using culturally- and linguistically-appropriate campaigns.

Learn More

Are you looking for mental health referrals?

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. The Youth Mental Health Resource Hub has links to resources designed for young people and the adults who support them.

Learn More

Defining & Measuring Progress

Creating an integrated, youth-centered system

The CYBHI’s goals are grounded in core values that guide everything we do. As our work progresses, we engage in continuous evaluation and improvement, so we can continue to better serve California youth and families.

Key Implementation Highlights

To learn more about the highlights mentioned, click here

January, 2024

Launched the first cohort of school districts to participate in the new statewide, multi-payer fee schedule which will expand access to behavioral health services at or near schools.

Learn More

January, 2024

Launched two Behavioral Health Virtual Services Platforms that provide free, safe, and confidential mental health support to young people and families: BrightLife Kids for children ages 0-12 and their parents or caregivers, and Soluna for young people ages 13-25.

Learn More

December, 2023

In 2023, HCAI awarded more than $264.6 million to expand the behavioral health workforce through education and training.

December, 2023

DHCS awarded $150 million to 262 organizations to support trauma-informed practices designed to address the impact of trauma and support the resilience of children and youth.

Learn More

December, 2023

Launched a statewide marketing and outreach campaign to promote the new Certified Wellness Coach profession, which provides care to young people through prevention and early intervention services.

Learn More

September, 2023

CDPH awarded $16 million in grants to 34 CBOs and tribal organizations to implement local youth suicide prevention efforts as part of the Focused Youth Suicide Prevention Media and Outreach Campaign.

Learn More

July, 2023

Launched Safe Spaces: Trauma-Informed Training for Education and Early Care Settings, a free, online training designed to help early care providers, TK-12 educators and other school personnel recognize and respond to trauma and stress in children.

Learn More

July 2023

DHCS awarded $30.5M for parent and caregiver support programs to scale evidence-based and/or community-defined evidence practices (EBPs/CDEPs) that improve youth behavioral health and access to critical interventions, including those focused on prevention, early intervention and resiliency/recovery for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and the LGBTQIA+ community children and youth.

April 2023

CA-OSG awarded a communications contract to launch a $24 million healing-centered campaign aimed at increasing awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and providing support and healing strategies for individuals and communities across the state.

April 2023

DHCS formed an expert working group to advise and inform the development of an e-consult platform that will offer providers access to remote and real-time consultation support with behavioral health clinical experts, as well as behavioral health resources, supports and trainings.

April 2023

CA-OSG completed beta testing with 200+ practitioners from the field for its Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings training.

March 2023

The CYBHI’s Equity Working Group adopted a Working Definition of Equity and Equity Framework—outlining what equity is and key areas of focus needed to advance it—along with a toolkit to support implementation of the definition and framework into CYBH efforts.

March 2023

DHCS awarded the primary vendor contract for the Behavioral Health Virtual Services Platform.

March 2023

HCAI awarded $117.7 million in grants to support recruitment and retention of behavioral health providers at 134 nonprofit Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) across California through the CBO Behavioral Health Workforce Grant program.

February 2023

CDPH Selected a media vendor to develop and disseminate campaign messages and tools for the Targeted Youth Suicide Prevention Grants and Outreach Campaign.

February 2023

CDPH selected 10 counties for the Youth Suicide Reporting and Crisis Response Pilots: Alameda, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Joaquin, and Solano.