Improving student mental health in California: Program resources available to communities

California implements a wide range of programs and policies aimed at training faculty, students, and campus staff from pre-Kindergarten through to the university systems to create campus environments that are supportive, responsive to student and family needs, and well-informed about mental health issues. Programs include training in symptom recognition for teachers, parents and community partners, a social marketing campaign, peer-to-peer support, cross-system collaboration, enhanced distress and depression screening, and policy reform. Panelist Ann Collentine will describe specific tools and resources that are available to communities to implement locally in areas such as: a clearinghouse of resources and best practices for educators and community members for grades K-12, a higher education quick reference guide to mental health resources for faculty/staff who may interact with distressing or distressed students, an adapted version of “An Educator’s Guide to Children’s Mental Health” that equips educators with the tools they need to reach all students effectively.  For each program resource, panelists will discuss the evidence base or data that informed the strategy, target audiences, implementation strategies and evidence of reach and impact to date.