DA Mental Health Resources
Delegate Assembly members engaged in discussions related to mental health during the December 2024 Policy Pillar Committee meetings. Delegates discussed mental health under the umbrella of the four CSBA Policy Pillars: Strengthen Local Governance, Secure Fair Funding, Improve Conditions of Children and Ensure Achievement for All. For more information on the CSBA Policy Pillars click here. After the meeting, some Delegates wanted to share more in-depth information related to their local mental health programs, initiatives and strategies. To that end, they responded to the following three questions:
- What are the top 2-3 mental health issues surfacing in your regions?
- What strategies and/or approaches are working given the current funding and opportunities?
- What are the lingering challenges in addressing those issues?
The result is a list of programs across the state illustrating how LEAs are addressing the mental health needs of students and staff at the local level. The body of work below includes specific program details, a link to a website when available, and contact information if you would like to contact the LEA directly for more information. We hope this body of work helps support your efforts to identify promising practices in California to serve the mental health needs of students and staff.
Mental Health Program Spotlight
Trauma resources
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed tools and materials to help educators, school staff, and administrators understand and respond to the specific needs of traumatized children.
U.S. Department of Education
Tips for helping students recovering from traumatic events
This brochure, which is based on discussions with some three dozen experts who work with students, provides practical information for parents and students who are coping with the aftermath of a natural disaster, as well as teachers, coaches, school administrators and others who are helping those affected. Although the focus is on natural disasters, these tips may apply to other traumas students may experience.
California Department of Education
Mental Health Resources
Provides strategies, resources, and training in psychological and mental health issues, including coping with tragedy, crisis intervention and prevention, school psychology and suicide prevention.
How to Talk to Students and Each Other About Mass Shootings
Resources for staff, parents and families and students to recover from a traumatic event.
Office of the California Surgeon General
Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practices for Educational and Care Settings
American Psychological Association
Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting
Tips for helping your children manage their distress.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Coping with a traumatic event
Resources for help and information on coping with a traumatic event.
California Schools magazine
California Schools magazine- Safer Schools: A 3-part feature
This special section of California Schools aims to give a broad overview of three approaches that schools, districts and counties can take to work together to reduce incidences of school violence and create safe and supportive school environments that address the needs of all students.
Additional resources
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People amplifies the experiences of more than 28,000 LGBTQ young people ages 13 to 24 across the United States.
California LGBTQ Youth Report, by Human Rights Campaign Foundation (1/19)
The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) provides funding to counties to develop and expand mental health services for communities. Find out what your county is doing under the MHSA by contacting your MHSA county coordinator.
CSBA policy briefs, fact sheets and blogs
(Webinar) Trauma-Informed Education: What governance teams need to know (2/23)
This presentation will help governance teams understand the principles and strategies of equity-centered, trauma-informed education so that they can effectively support their local students, staff, and families as they navigate a range of mental health challenges and ongoing pandemic recovery.
Why Schools Hold the Promise for Adolescent Mental Health (5/19)
This brief covers trends in adolescent mental health, leading theories on the “why” behind those trends, why schools are an effective community hub for mental health services, best practices for providing those services and questions to help board members determine mental health services and needs in their LEAs.
LEAs, federal leaders share how they’re addressing youth mental health
“Addressing the Student Mental Health Crisis,” a webinar hosted by the Healthy Schools Campaign on Sept. 14, showcased how some local educational agencies are handling the challenge as well as what’s being done at the federal level.
National data emphasizes need for sustained mental health supports and training
Blog post on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest School Health Profiles.
Department of Health Care Services launches initiative to support student mental health
Blog post on the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) launch of the CalHOPE Schools Initiative, featuring transformational films that speak directly to the heart of students’ social-emotional and mental health needs and customized curriculum and guides to help teachers, students and families successfully navigate the journey to personal well-being.
CSBA sample resolutions
Mental Health Awareness Month (May)
A sample resolution template for LEAs to use for Mental Health Awareness Month.