Last week, CalMatters hosted a compelling Mental Health Symposium focused on the urgent state of youth mental health and the effectiveness of California’s investments in this space. Leaders in the field came together for a series of rich discussions, offering insights, research findings and various perspectives.
We were proud to see our own Dr. Liliana Hernandez, Director of School-Aged Behavioral Health, share the stage with an inspiring group of experts including Melissa Hannah (United Parents), Bill Thompson (Young Storytellers), Erica Villalpando (Pasadena Unified School District), Sarah LaBrie (author of No One Gets to Fall Apart), Dr. Sameer Amin (L.A. Care Health Plan), Dr. Sohil Sud (CYBHI), Myrna Reynoso Torres (LACOE), Elodie Mailliet Storm, Neil Chase (CalMatters) and the moderator, Ana B. Ibarra (CalMatters).
Discussion 1: How Are the Kids Doing?
Dr. Hernandez joined the opening panel, “How Are the Kids Doing?”, where she addressed some of the top concerns impacting youth mental health today including access to care. With growing waitlists, insurance barriers and an alarming workforce shortage, Dr. Hernandez emphasized how these systemic issues create real consequences for families seeking help. Her insights highlighted the urgency for policy change and increased support for behavioral health providers in schools and in communities.
Melissa Hannah reinforced this urgency, speaking to the mounting stress parents face, especially in rural areas where services are scarce. For many families, meeting basic needs like rent and food takes precedence, making mental health seem like a luxury, when in reality, it’s a necessity.
What We Learned from the Pandemic
Panelist Erica Villalpando shared how the pandemic and California’s wildfires served as a “training ground” for schools to provide mental health services under extreme circumstances. Virtual care became a lifeline and the lesson was clear: schools can’t just offer services. “They must meet families where they are and address basic needs before mental health support can be truly effective.”
The Power of Storytelling
Bill Thompson offered a powerful look into how children’s stories changed post-pandemic. An analysis of 7,000 student-written stories revealed a stark decline in happy endings and a rise in sad endings and themes about technology/social media, social justice and systemic inequality. His message was that children are absorbing and reflecting the emotional toll of today’s world and it’s through storytelling that you can get a glimpse of this reality.
Discussion 2: California’s Investments – Are They Working?
In the second panel discussion, Dr. Sameer Amin and Dr. Sohil Sud joined others to evaluate the State of California’s investments in youth mental health. While progress has been made in awareness and education, major gaps remain in early intervention, staffing and infrastructure. One major point was that we must stop waiting for crises to occur before acting – as a collective group.
Where Do We Go from Here?
Despite the challenges, the event closed on a hopeful note. As many panelists emphasized – community support is a beacon of resilience and hope. We must come together to support the most underserved children, families and communities and perhaps the most inspiring message of all? Our young people remain hopeful.
The youth of today have a strong sense of fairness, deep care for the environment and advocacy for equity, which should give us reason to believe that meaningful change is not only possible, it’s already in motion.
We are deeply honored to have had Dr. Liliana Hernandez represent our organization in such a deep and meaningful conversation. And, as an organization that prioritizes mental health & wellbeing, we are committed to continuing the work of supporting youth mental health every step of the way.
Mental Health Symposium Videos:
Panel 1 Discussion: Mental Health Symposium: “How are the kids?”
Panel 2 Discussion: Mental Health Symposium: “Are California’s investments working?”
Photos by Julz Hotz for CalMatters.
