Equip Teachers Youth Mental Health Literacy

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support AB 1034 (Ávila Farías), legislation that would include a basic understanding of youth mental health in a professional preparation program required for teacher credentialing.

CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which engages, empowers and represents Transitional Age Youth (TAY), ages 15-26, in mental health advocacy on issues that directly affect TAY. Since CAYEN’s inception in 2006, CAYEN has taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy.

Creating spaces that nurture and support youth so they can access critical mental health and substance use services is vital to the destigmatization revolving around mental health.

The Center for Disease Control released their Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023 and found that there was an increase in youth experiencing violence, poor mental health, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.[1] Since TAY spend a significant portion of their lives at school, a teacher is often the first-person youth seek support from if experiencing mental health challenges.

Teachers are also most likely to identify potential challenges youth are experiencing given their daily interactions with them.

The ability to identify youth at risk and link them to support before their mental health or substance use challenge exacerbates will help bridge gaps in access and reduce mental health disparities. This bill ensures teachers will have basic knowledge of youth mental health and will better prepare them to support youth health and wellness.

It is for these reasons, CAYEN supports AB 1034 (Avila Farías) and asks for your “Aye” vote. If you have any questions, or if CAYEN can provide assistance on this bill or any other behavioral health legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul or our Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari, at kvicari .

Danny Thirakul
California Youth Empowerment Network
Public Policy Coordinator