25-513m Transforming Mental Health Access for California's Children and Youth
Date: 05/23/25
Support the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative with no cost online tools and resources
The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative in California is a state-led effort designed to address the growing need for mental health and behavioral health services for children and youth. This initiative strives to improve the access and quality of services and coordinate them across various sectors, such as education, healthcare and community organizations.
As part of this initiative, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) provides the following three no-cost online behavioral health services platforms as part of the California Hope (CalHOPE) program.
- The California Child and Adolescent Mental Health Access Portal (Cal-MAP): A behavioral health program to increase access to mental health care for children and youth by supporting pediatricians and primary care physicians (PCPs).
The goal is to strengthen primary care capacity to address the growing mental health needs of young people to improve overall care delivery. Cal-MAP provides no-cost consultation, education, and resource navigation services. To learn more, visit: California’s Child & Adolescent Mental Health Access Portal. - BrightLife Kids: A state funded program that supports the mental and behavioral health of children ages 0-12 and their families. It provides coaching, not therapy, to help parents, caregivers, and kids navigate everyday challenges like managing emotions, sleep issues, separation anxiety or social skills.
The goal is to empower families with practical tools to build resilience, communication and problem-solving skills for mild to moderate concerns. To learn more about this program, visit: BrightLife Kids. - Soluna: A mental health app designed for youth and young adults ages 13-25. It offers a mix of self-guided tools like a mood log, journaling, breathwork and goal setting, as well as one-on-one coaching with professionals moderated by peers.
Soluna’s goal is to reduce stigma and barriers to mental health care, meeting young people where they are to support their everyday stress or bigger challenges like anxiety and school pressure. It’s not therapy but provides a flexible resource for building resilience and connecting young people to services. To learn more about Soluna, visit: Soluna app webpage.
CalHOPE
The CalHOPE program is a key part of California’s effort to build resilience and expand mental health access across the state. CalHOPE provides the following at no cost:
- Support for families with children, teens and young adults, regardless of insurance coverage or immigration status.
- Access to mental health and emotional support for individuals facing stress, anxiety or trauma, particularly in response to crises.
- A range of services, including a 24/7 crisis hotline, 833-317-HOPE (4673), online resources, and specialized programs.
Additional information
If you have questions regarding the information contained in this update, contact the Health Net Provider Services Center at 800-675-6110.
Behavioral health providers can call 844-966-0298.
This information applies to Physicians, Participating Physician Groups (PPGs), Hospitals, Ancillary Providers, Community Supports (CS) Providers, Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Providers, and Behavioral Health Providers.
For Medi-Cal, this information applies to Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Los Angeles, Molina, Mono, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare and Tuolumne counties.