Supporting the mental health of young people and their families has been a top priority for Sand Hill Foundation since its inception. In 2018, we launched the Wellness Partnership, investing in cross-sector collaboration to strengthen the system of mental health care further upstream. (Read our Theory of Change here.) Intended as a ten-year initiative, the Wellness Partnership funds coordination between multiple organizations, promoting prevention and early intervention services at sites where youth already go and building stronger bridges to additional levels of care as needed. This work is inherently collaborative in nature and necessary to truly change the system of care.
We believe the places and people with which young people engage should be designed and coordinated to provide mental wellness supports seamlessly across a system of care that adapts to their needs and their unique identities.
To date, the initiative has supported the planning and development of six distinct efforts made up of over 36 organizational partners.
The collaboratives bridge gaps by bringing together clinical professionals and other youth-serving providers to develop and institutionalize training and supports so they can recognize and respond to the earliest possible signs of mental health concerns. Their approaches vary, each taking a unique approach to systems change – from workforce training and capacity building to hyper-local, neighborhood-level coordination of services to the development of integrated youth mental health centers designed with, by, and for youth. We are proud to share a report highlighting the first four years of the initiative – please check it out here. All of the groups demonstrate strengths in the following areas: All of the groups demonstrate strengths in the following areas:
- Integrating mental health prevention, screenings, and referral services across sectors, creating access points where they may not have been before;
- Strengthening or creating a coordinated system of care to ensure young people receive support as they need, particularly for underserved populations;
- Evidence of shared financial investment, with budget accounting for various stakeholders’ roles and time;
- Building culturally-competent preventative programs to help build awareness, strengthen relationships for young people, and increase access to mental health supports
If you are a youth-serving organization based in San Mateo County interested in learning more about the Wellness Partnership, please contact Jessi Misslin at jessi@sandhillfoundation.org.
The Wellness Partnership VisionWe believe if the resources to support prevention and early interventions that reduce risk factors and build protective factors were more coordinated, healing-centered, accessible, and integrated into a variety of youth development engagements, more young people would receive the appropriate level of mental health support when they need it and experience optimal health and wellness.
Piloting a network of integrated youth mental health centers designed with, by and for youth that reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to culturally-responsive services.
Lead Agency: Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing
Partners: Foundry, IDEO.org, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Peninsula Health Care District, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services
Unique collaborative of mental health and community organizations in East Palo Alto and east Menlo Park working together to increase capacity and access to culturally appropriate mental health services and support for Ravenswood youth.
Lead Agency: Children’s Health Council
Partners: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, CASSY, Child Mind Institute, One EPA, Ravenswood City School District, Ravenswood Education Foundation, San Mateo County BHRS, Stanford University – Dept of Psychology, Ravenswood Family Health Network, California Children’s Trust, The Primary School
A coalition of community organizations supporting the “whole health” of youth, the initiative offers prevention programs, mental health training and early intervention services to young people (ages 11 – 24), parents, schools, mentors, and program staff.
Lead Agency: Friends for Youth
Partners: Siena Youth Center, Redwood City PAL, One Life Counseling, Star Vista
Strengthening the community care provider network in North San Mateo County, engaging youth and families in need of mental health support, and creating awareness around mental health services for BIPOC youth.
Lead Agency: Daly City Partnership
Partners: Daly City Youth Health Center, Asian American Recovery Services
Increased on-site provision of wellness programs for young people and families in supportive housing program, including direct services, art-related interventions, and peer counseling.
Lead Agency: LifeMoves
Partners: NAMI San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, Palo Alto University, Creatrix Institute, Star Vista
Development of mental health awareness & response training modules (including COVID-19 responsive curriculum) for out-of-school time professionals with a pilot launch in Daly City.
Lead Agency: CalSAC (California School Age Consortium)
Partners: Mid-Peninsula Boys & Girls Clubs, Footsteps Childcare, Daly City Parks & Rec Dept, California Afterschool Network
