Blue Shield of California’s youth mental health initiative
The foundations of mental health begin in childhood and play into a person’s well-being throughout life.
Our challenge
Mental illness is the number 1 reason California children are hospitalized
94% of Gen Z youth experience mental health challenges on a monthly basis
Among youth who wanted professional mental health support but didn’t receive it, 35% cite embarrassment as a barrier.
BlueSky's goals
Improve access
to high-quality mental health counseling and support, especially among underrepresented youth from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, and mixed-race backgrounds, as well as LGBTQ+ youth.
Develop awareness
by training adults to recognize youth mental health challenges and provide appropriate support, especially for underrepresented youth.
Grow advocacy
among youth to educate and engage their peers to utilize resources that support their own mental health.
“It gave me a safe place at school where I could talk about my feelings to someone who actually cares and helped me through what I was dealing with.”
- youth participant
News
Our distinguished partners
BlueSky has supported these distinguished partners:
CA Alliance for School-Based Health
The California School-Based Health Alliance (CSHA) is the statewide non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health & academic success of children & youth by advancing health services in schools.
CA Department of Education (CDE)
The California Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, assistance, oversight, and resources to ensure that every Californian has access to an education that meets world-class standards.
The Climate Mental Health Network (CMHN) is a collaborative initiative that supports communities in understanding and managing the mental health impacts of climate change through resources, programs, and resilience-building strategies.
Health Career Connection (HCC)
Health Career Connection (HCC) is building the next generation of diverse health leaders and professionals. HCC empowers undergraduate students and recent graduates to choose and successfully pursue health careers that best suit their talents, passions, and goals.
Mental Health California’s Brother Be Well
Mental Health California offers free tools for classrooms and youth groups seeking to bolster their mental health and substance use prevention education for all students.
NAMI California’s On Campus clubs raise mental health awareness, educate the campus community, and reduce stigma in schools through peer-led activities, education, and advocacy.
Brings community leaders and policy makers together to make Oakland’s children, families, and communities the healthiest in the nation.
A national nonprofit, Wellness Together partners with school districts to embed Mental Health Providers and Certified Wellness Coaches within school communities, offering immediate crisis intervention and personalized counseling.
Youth Creating Change empowers young people to use creativity and storytelling to promote mental health, suicide prevention, and social justice.
The California Youth Power Fund (YPF) is a statewide participatory grantmaking collaborative investing in youth-led and intergenerational organizing across California. Anchored by Youth Organize! California (YO! Cali) and Northern California Grantmakers (NCG), pools philanthropic resources to strengthen the long-term infrastructure young people need to build power and transform systems.
California Alliance for Children and Family Services (CACFS)
California Alliance for Children and Family Services (CACFS) promotes the health, well-being and safety of children, youth and families in California as a collective voice impacting policy and best practices to strengthen the systems that serve them.
California Children’s Trust is reimagining California’s approach to children’s behavioral health. It is an initiative to achieve health equity and healthy development for California’s children, youth, and families.
University of California, San Francisco
BlueSky is honored to partner with UCSF to evaluate BlueSky and our impact.
DoSomething.org fuels young people to change the world, tackling issues ranging from social justice to mental health.
How we invest
We fund programs that expand mental health and wellness access, awareness, and advocacy to support California’s youth. Our funding is by invitation only and focuses on addressing health disparities and serving youth and communities of color.