CENTRAL COAST, Calif. – The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo's Teen Wellness program will continue helping youth mental health through a new 27-month project.
The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo’s (CAPSLO) Teen Wellness program has received a grant from the California Department of Public Health to improve youth mental health in San Luis Obispo County. This 27-month project, running from March 2024 to June 2026, will engage local youth to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking behaviors, particularly among Latino youth, while enhancing access to behavioral health resources.
“We are so excited to have received this grant from the California Department of Public Health. This is a great opportunity for youth in our community to get the mental health help they need,” said Elizabeth “Biz” Steinberg, CEO, CAPSLO.
Through partnerships with schools in San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Counties, the Teen Wellness program aims to bolster adolescent well-being. A key initiative is the Youth Mental Health Ambassador (YMHA) project at the Santa Maria Joint Unified High School District, which will launch a comprehensive mental, emotional, and behavioral health campaign as part of the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI).
“It made me more comfortable talking about mental health. I have a club that helps Latino people, especially immigrants and I’ve realized culturally that we don’t realize it’s ok to talk about these things [mental health]. Just having a weekly group made me feel more comfortable talking about it. Also, the term Mental Health Ambassador just sounds fancy.”
As part of this initiative, CAPSLO will recruit youth to form the Youth Mental Health Ambassadors Outreach Team, which will develop a targeted media campaign aimed at Latino and LGBTQ+ youth in the region. The campaign's objectives include increasing behavioral health literacy among youth, caregivers, educators, health providers, and community members. It also aims to enhance access to mental health treatment resources through collaboration with local healthcare providers and organizations, while raising awareness of youth rights to confidential services.
Interested youth aged 13-18 should contact Project Lead Emma Fay or scan the QR code below for more information on applications. Please note that applications are due by September 15th 2024.
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