DATE:
September 24th, 2024
12
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
CREATING A CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND TRANSITION AGE YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM FRAMEWORK FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The youth behavioral health crisis is now well-documented, and evidenced through innumerable health advisories, surveys, and research from leading institutions including the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) among many others. 12345
Since 2010, nearly every indicator of mental well-being among children and youth has deteriorated. Ensuring access to prevention and intervention services and to primary care clinicians and behavioral and mental health specialists are critical components of any plan to address the youth behavioral health crisis and to support children and youth as they navigate these challenges. Additionally, the long-lasting benefits of early detection and intervention extend beyond the individual themselves with estimates that for every dollar invested in early childhood prevention and intervention returns $2 to $13 in long-term public savings.
Yet, the broader public and private behavioral health system of care has struggled to meet the needs of our children and youth. The Children's Report Card 2024, which grades California's ability to support better outcomes for kids from prenatal to age 26 has consistently awarded the state a D grade for mental health supports. Additionally, California ranked 51 (out of 50 states and D.C.) in 2024 for parents reporting it was not possible to obtain mental healthcare for their child, citing denials by health plans as a major barrier.6 Locally, the UCSD Health Partnership Community Engagement Annual Report (FY 2023 -24) found that mental health and substance use ...
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