California Mental Health Commission Recommends Schools Become “Wellness Centers”
December 5, 2020
A new set of recommendations from the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission says schools in the state should become community-based “wellness centers” that coordinate mental and other health services through new partnerships with local and regional nonprofit providers. The commission sites a decade-long trend of increasing anxiety, depression, and suicide among youth, as well as a sharp increase in mental health needs related to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures. The recommendations follow similar suggestions by the State Board of Education and several state lawmakers, who, throughout the year, have been seeking to address California’s striking school counselor shortage.