As the youth mental health crisis worsens, so does the shortage of qualified therapists.
This is how Lori Butterworth, an award-winning nonprofit leader and child advocate, and Dr. Ramona Friedman, a child and youth psychologist, have teamed up to create a Soquel-based child care center dedicated to:・This is the reason why we established the Youth Mental Health Center. Expand access to affordable, evidence-based mental health supports for children, teens, and young adults.
Their vision to address this youth crisis was embraced by Morgan Stanley, which launched the Mental Health Innovation Award in 2021.
This year, the new Soquel-based nonprofit was selected from among hundreds of applications and 10 for its efforts to expand services for America’s first-generation teens and their families. One of five national winners to receive $1,000,000.
CCAMH plans to add a “First Generation Teen Center,” designed to allow first-generation American teen advisors to become peer mentors and help train new therapists to provide culturally-based support.
Lori Butterworth (left) and Ramona Friedman
“Parents desperately need mental health support for their children,” said Butterworth, who lives in Soquel. “We are excited to see how this award and recognition from Morgan Stanley will help our communities address the mental health challenges of youth and their families.”
Founded in June 2023, the Child and Youth Mental Health Center will open youth mental health centers in San Luis Obispo, where Friedman has a clinic, and in Soquel, where monthly drop-in Zoom sessions are held for immigrant youth. Established.
Their model is a combination of free and affordable evidence-based mental health services, including teen counseling groups, parent/family support, youth counseling sessions, and the training and supervision of new counselors, therapists, and child psychologists. balance.
“With 13 years of experience as a clinical psychologist focused on youth mental health on the Central Coast, I am familiar with the needs of youth and families in our community,” said the association’s president and co-founder. said Friedman. CCAMH.
She added: “We are thrilled to have achieved our goal of providing greater access to young people and families, as well as expanding access to mental health services to marginalized children and families. I also recognize the impact of this award.” community. ”
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association all say teens have been left largely isolated in the wake of three-year lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. This led to a declaration of a national emergency regarding children’s mental health. Resource to call.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens across the country.
“Our young people may face growing challenges in mental health, and we must work together to meet this challenge by mobilizing innovative solutions that meet their needs. ” said Congressman Jimmy Panetta. D- Carmel Valley. “Thankfully, organizations like the Center for Child and Youth Mental Health are working to expand access to high-quality, evidence-based youth mental health care in California’s 19th Congressional District. “This investment is a testament to the important work of this organization and our community’s concern and care for the future of our children.”
The Child and Youth Mental Health Center is relatively new, but its efforts are
It has been praised not only by the American Psychological Association, but also by countless families.
“The American Psychological Association applauds the innovative Child and Youth Mental Health Center’s efforts to expand access to mental health care support for the most vulnerable among us,” said the Association’s Chief Executive Officer. said Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO. This program is inspired by our collective work to advance population health, which works with people to prevent mental illness before it is fully diagnosed. ”
This is not the first time Butterworth has come up with innovative solutions to alleviate the suffering of children. She conceived and led Jacob’s Heart Pediatric Cancer Services and the Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition. She then became CEO of AIM Youth Mental Health in Carmel.
“When I met Dr. Friedman, I realized that by leveraging our shared expertise and passion for improving the quality and accessibility of youth mental health care, we could address the mental health challenges facing children. I quickly realized that I could find a solution,” Butterworth said.
In addition to providing first-generation support, CCAMH recruits interns who wish to train, offers online drop-in sessions and support groups for parents, and provides advisory board membership and peer surveys. We are looking for teenagers to do this.
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For more information about the Morgan Stanley Innovation Awards, please visit www.morganstanley.com/.about-us/giving-back/children-mental-health-awards-winners. For more information about CCAMH, visit www.ccamh.org.
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