California Mental Health Services Act Student Mental Health Initiative

1. California Mental Health Services Act Student Mental Health Initiative Presented to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission Aaron Carruthers September 28, 2007

2. Background: Proposal • June 2007, the OAC voted to approve $60M in statewide initiative funds for a Student Mental Health Initiative (SMHI). • OAC directed staff to convene stakeholders to identify ways both Higher Ed and K-12 could best use the SMHI. • This is the proposed allocation of that $60M.

3. Background: Purpose The SMHI is one-time funding to quickly focus resources on the mental health needs of students and advance the collaboration between educational settings and county services, which should form the foundation for future MHSA efforts.

4. Stakeholder Process • Spanned three months • Divided focus into Higher Ed and K-12 • Included clients, students, and parents • Involved representatives from 50 organizations • Formed foundation for education community’s future • relationship with MHSA. • Stakeholders crafted the contents of the initiative and should continue to be involved in crafting individual grant proposals.

5. Stakeholder Participants California Mental Health Directors Association, California Department of Mental Health, California Network of Mental Health Clients, CA NAMI, United Advocates for Children and Families, Mental Health Association in California, California Mental Health Planning Council, University of California, UC Davis Counseling and Psychological Services, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Santa Clara Mental Health Board, California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies, California Community Colleges, California School Health Centers Association, California State University, California Counseling Center Directors, California State University, Sacramento, California Community Colleges Chancellors Office, West Contra Costa Youth Services Bureau, North Sacramento School District, San Francisco Unified Pupil Services, California Association of School Social Workers, California Department of Education, Rio Linda Union School District, Support Services for Special Education Department, El Dorado County Office of Education, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, California Association of School Psychologists, YMCA – East Bay, Sacramento County Office of Education, Capital Unity Council, California Association of Student Councils, To Save a Child, San Juan Unified School District, California Association of School Counselors, California Association of Supervisors and Child Welfare and Attendance, Northern Sacramento School District, Bay Area Partnership, Folsom Cordova Unified School District, West Valley College, Santa Clara County Special Education Local Area Plan, Riverside County Mental Health, California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, California School Nurses Organization, National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, California State Senate Committee on Health, City of Berkeley Mental Health, Nevada County Superintendent of Schools, California Department of Education Commissioner, Pupil Services Coalition

6. Background: Needs, Higher Ed College and university students are presenting mental health issues with greater frequency and complexity. System-wide, diminished funding has resulted in longer student wait-times, difficulty retaining staff, huge student-to-counselor ratios and decreased services and supports. These factors have resulted in a lack of appropriate support for students who are faced with significant developmental challenges, emotional stressors and mental health risks.

7. Background: Needs, Higher Ed • At higher ed institutions, student risk of suicide has risen. • According to a survey, over 9% of students have considered suicide. • Of those, 80% of students who were thinking of suicide received no mental health services at all.

8. Background: Needs, K-12 • “Upstream” prevention is key. • 55% of lifetime disorders evidenced by age 14, 75% by 25 • Nationally, 28% of youth report a prolonged sense of • depression or hopelessness. • 20% of all kids know someone who has attempted suicide • this year. • Of the 8% who attempted suicide, only ¼ received mental • health or emergency medical services.

9. Background: Needs, K-12 For every four students who attempt suicide, three get up and go to school the next day.

10. Proposal: Basics • $60M from $245M set aside by Mental Health Directors for statewide projects, or almost 25%. • Four-year period. • Grants first awarded July 2008, the start of the 08-09 FY, to coincide with the 08-09 academic year. • After the four years, the future of the initiative and others like it will be up to the Mental Health Directors. They will have the evaluations from the SMHI and other statewide initiatives and may consider renewing all, some or none of them.

11. Proposal: Higher Ed • Three components: training, peer support, and suicide prevention. • Open to California’s public institutions • Six system-wide grants: $500,000 annually • Fifty campus-based grants: $100,000 annually • Collaboration among campuses and systems allowed • Admin costs limited to 15% • Match required • No supplantation

12. PROPOSED ALLOCATION FOR HIGHER ED EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM Six system-wide grants of $500,000 $3.0 M annually Fifty campus-based grants of $100,000 $5.0 M annually Evaluation $0.5 M annually ________________________________________________________ Annual Funding $8.5 M Four-Year Funding $34.0 M

13. Proposal: K-12 • Use $$ to take the variety of discrete school-based mental • health interventions and programs and combine them into • a comprehensive student mental health program. • For single school, cluster of schools or entire district. • Estimated 20 annual grants ranging from $100,000 to • $350,000. • Admin costs limited to 15% • No supplantation

14. Proposal: K-12 • Components to be incorporated into comprehensive student mental health program: • School-Based Programs • Systems and Policy Development • Education and Training • Technical Assistance available

15. PROPOSED ALLOCATION FOR K-12 EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM Approx. Twenty District-Wide or School-Based $5.5 M annually Grants Ranging Between $100,000 to $350,000 Technical Assistance $0.5 M annually Evaluation $0.5 M annually __________________________________________________________ Annual Funding $6.5 M Four-Year Funding $26.0 M

16. Proposal: Evaluation • OAC to set aside $0.5 M each year from both Higher Ed • and K-12 programs for evaluation. • $2 M for each program. Total $4 M for evaluation. • OAC will contract for the evaluation, with annual progress • reports with a final report during the fourth year. • Cover both performance and outcome measurements.

17. Proposal: Next Steps, Implementation • Recommendation • Contract out with granting agency for administration of grants. • Recommendation • Include DMH and Mental Health Directors. • Recommendation • Continue to utilize the stakeholder foundation to design grants and other MHSA efforts.

18. Closing: Other Needs • Repository of Information • Best practices • Technical Assistance • Continuing concern about how increased prevention will • lead to increased need for services

19. California Mental Health Services Act Student Mental Health Initiative