Nearly half of California’s youth are struggling with their mental health and well-being. Mental health needs that go untreated have lifelong impacts with adverse school outcomes, poor health conditions, and serious mental illness. To address this need, California focused on supporting children in schools with a new workforce called Wellness Coaches and awarding 64 grantees across LEAs a total of 125 million dollars to launch the Certified Wellness Coach Program. A strong and diverse workforce means a healthier California with improved school outcomes. This session will highlight the new Wellness Coach program and give strategies on how schools participate and grow this sustainable workforce role, addressing the urgent need in our schools. Wellness Coaches (Coaches) provide care to young people through prevention and early intervention services. These services support overall physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
