Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing

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Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing

To build a culture of health and wellbeing, developed in partnership with young people Adolescence has become a perilous rite of passage for many youth.

The Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing recognizes that we are in the midst of a national public health crisis among U.S. youth and is spearheading a new national vision for adolescent and young adult wellness and mental health support. The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is laying the groundwork for the creation of a national initiative for youth through its expertise in early mental health support, development of self-regulation tools, school mental health, and suicide prevention. By creating an innovative health system, and a new culture of health for the adolescent and young adult population, Stanford hopes to create a model for the country in how to better support our young people to navigate the transition to adulthood and realize their full potential as adults. The data on adolescent health and educational success in the US is of great concern. High rates of depression, alcohol and drug abuse, teen pregnancy, youth violence, and low college graduation rates compared to other industrialized nations indicate that something is missing in our support for young people. We need a new culture of adolescent wellbeing across the United States that builds skills, resilience, and opportunities for a healthy path into adulthood. The Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing is built on three core components:

1. Early Mental Health Support and Exceptional Clinical Care
2. Educational and Community Partnerships
3. Mental Health and Technology Program

01/22/2026

✨ 2016 - The Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing was new and just getting started, with a clear goal in mind: to spearhead a new vision for adolescent and young adult wellness and mental health support.

At a time when stigma was heavy and accessible, youth-centered mental health systems were limited, we set out to build a Center grounded in early intervention, strong community partnerships, and support shaped with young people. We kicked things off with our first Adolescent Mental Wellness Conference: Breaking Down Stigma, Building Support for Youth Mental Health, held in August 2016.

Fast forward nearly a decade ⏩ That early vision has grown into national impact.

Through close collaboration with youth, their families, and communities, our work has evolved to accelerate the creation, implementation, and evaluation of innovative, culturally responsive mental health and wellbeing programs with a strong emphasis on equity, access, and centering youth voice. From a team of 2 to a team of 20, and collaboration with hundreds of young people, our Center now leads multiple initiatives and programs:
• allcove integrated care centers – 5 now open, 6 more in development!
• Early psychosis support, nationally through PEPPNET
• School mental health consultation and community partnerships
• Indigenous youth mental health and wellbeing
• Social media, tech and youth mental health
• Su***de prevention and postvention, including responsible media reporting
• YouthCheck screening tool development

💚10 years of growth and much more ahead. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.

12/19/2025

On behalf of our Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing team, we extend our sincere wishes this holiday season. As 2025 comes to an end, we reflect with gratitude on all we’ve accomplished with the support of our community, including the young people, families, staff, and partners who continue to advocate for this work and make a positive impact on youth mental health.

Each of you has played an important role in advancing youth mental health and wellbeing through our programs and initiatives. This impact is truly the result of a collaborative effort, and we could not have done it without you. ❤️✨

Please note that our office will be closed December 22 through January 2. We look forward to continuing our work together in the new year!

12/03/2025

📣 Calling all high school students - Tech-X 2026 applications are now open!

Led by staff from our Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Stanford’s Mental Health Technology and Innovation Hub, the Tech-X program provides a unique opportunity for high school students interested in exploring the intersections of technology and mental health. 🧠📲

During this week long program, participants will get to learn directly from Stanford faculty members and post-doctoral scholars through:
* In-person lectures
* Workshops
* Discussions
* Creative projects

There will be two standalone one week sessions this year:
🗓️ June 15-19
🗓️ June 22-26

📍Sessions will take place in Palo Alto, California. Participants must be able to travel to and from Stanford's campus daily for the weeklong program. Scholarships for the program fee are available. The application will close mid-January.

🔗 Learn more and apply: med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/special-initiatives/techx.html

11/24/2025

This month, our Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, with support from the Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Hopelab, hosted a one-day working session on the responsible use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support youth mental health. 🧠

We brought together experts from OpenAI, Anthropic, Character.AI, Google and TikTok, alongside researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and youth leaders to explore how we can balance innovation with safety and ensure young people’s voices help shape AI’s role in mental health.

Co-hosted and organized by our Program Director, Vicki Harrison, MSW, and Caroline Figueroa, MD, PhD, the event featured youth-led panels, collaborative sessions, and even tiny mic interviews conducted by youth leaders from .

The insights gathered will guide future research, responsible AI practices, and ongoing collaboration to support the wellbeing of young people everywhere. 💫

🔗Read the full event recap: https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/news/spotlight/responsibleai.html

11/20/2025

Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we take a moment to acknowledge the lives lost, including the young people in our own community, and extend our heartfelt sympathies to their families, friends, and communities. Their absence is felt deeply, and their stories matter to us. 🤍✨

With ongoing youth leadership, we are committed to developing culturally responsive mental health and wellbeing programs that expand access and center youth voice, ensuring all people are acknowledged and honored.

Today we remember and every day we continue building a community where every young person can feel safe, seen, and celebrated. 🏳️‍⚧️

If you or someone you know is struggling or grieving, please know that resources are available to support you.

• The Q Corner: Call 408.961.4497 | Email theqcorner@hhs.sccgov.org

• allcove integrated care centers: Find a center near you at allcove.org

• The Trans Lifeline: Call 877.565.8860

• The Trevor Project: Call 1.866.488.7386 | Text ‘START’ to 678678

• Santa Clara County Su***de and Crisis Hotline: Call 800.704.0900 | Text 'RENEW' to 741741

• 988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988

11/10/2025

This month, we had the honor of attending the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health Auxiliaries Endowment Luncheon, to celebrate the Endowment’s impact on our peer mentoring program.

In a fireside chat with Dr. Mary Leonard, Chief of Pediatrics for Stanford Medicine, our Program Director, Vicki and Youth Leader, Katy shared how a gift from the Endowment two years ago helped propel ’s efforts to support youth navigating today’s digital world.

We’re deeply grateful to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and the Auxiliaries Endowment for their support and dedication to our work. 💚✨

10/27/2025

✨ Now recruiting for the 2025-26 Center Youth Collective (C*C)! ✨

To uplift youth voice in our Center’s initiatives, we are inviting young people ages 16-25 to be a part of the C*C Youth Advisory Group.

As an advisor, you will have the opportunity to provide feedback, guidance, and direction to our Center’s initiatives, which currently includes: , Media and Mental Health, School Mental Health, Early Psychosis, and Indigenous Youth Wellbeing. Learn more about our Center's initiatives: tinyurl.com/stanford-cymhw

If you are passionate about youth mental health, we encourage you to apply! Applications are due Friday, November 14. 🗓️

Visit tinyurl.com/C*C2026 to learn more and apply.

10/10/2025

reminds us why our work matters.💚🌎

At our Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, we’re committed to making supportive mental health care accessible for all youth.

Young people today face extraordinary change, and with it, an unprecedented need for wellness and mental health support. By centering youth voices, increasing access, and expanding awareness, we’re creating a model to help young people navigate the transition into adulthood and realize their full potential.

With support from youth and community partners, we are making an impact in integrated care, school mental health, Indigenous youth wellbeing, media and mental health, su***de prevention and postvention, and early psychosis.

Visit the link in our bio to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter for updates and ways to get involved.

Today and every day, let’s champion mental health for all young people so they may thrive.💫

09/10/2025

📣We are pleased to announce the 2025-26 School-based Mental Health ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) series, launching this month! This ECHO series aims to improve the capacity of school mental health providers and educational partners to implement effective models and clinical support for student mental health and wellness. Learn more: tinyurl.com/school-mh-echo

This FREE, virtual series will take place on Thursdays from 12 pm to 1:15pm via Zoom! Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits are available for participants.

🌟The first session will be on Thursday, September 25, focusing on “The Role of Mental Health Screenings in Promoting Early Identification and Support for Students.” We are excited to welcome speakers from Mental Health America and What’s Up Wellness, who will explore key factors in implementing screenings, highlight the benefits and challenges of school-based mental health screenings, and feature a California-based screening effort focused on promoting early identification.

We would love for you to join us! Register by September 25! Visit tinyurl.com/register-school-echo-2025-26.

08/21/2025

Summer may be wrapping up, but our work is in full swing! ☀️💚 Here’s a look at what’s happening at our Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing:

- Youth advisors presented on the importance of youth voice at the Jon E. Nadherny Memorial Youth Symposium and the 45th Annual California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth (CMHACY) Conference.
- StrengthIn.Youth guide is nearly complete; the Adult Guide is in early draft stages with youth consultant support.
- NEW Native American Youth Mental Health ECHO independent learning resources are now available.
- launched its Training of Trainers program and continued workshops in the community, including at the Tech-X summer program.
- The Reporting Responsibly on Campus Su***de (RROCS) team is recruiting youth volunteers! Applications due Friday, Aug 22.

Upcoming:
- The School-based Mental Health ECHO 2025–26 series launches this fall! Register at iecho.org.
- Dr. Ideen Kiafar joins Dr. Apurva Bhatt to support students and families in the Redwood City School District.

We are grateful for the continued collaboration with youth, partners, and community members as we work hard to uplift and support youth mental health during this critical time.

Learn more and find ways to support our programs and initiatives via the links in our bio! 💫

08/08/2025

Our Center recently had the pleasure of hosting Jason Trethowan, CEO of ! 🧠💚

We had a packed few days with Jason, showing him the work we are doing across our Center initiatives, specifically , the integrated youth services model that was inspired and informed by headspace Australia. We have been grateful for many years of partnership with Jason and headspace.

One of the highlights of the visit was having staff from the Central allcove Team, who support the allcove initiative, join Jason for tours of two allcove centers (allcove Sacramento and allcove San Mateo).

We also appreciate the time Jason spent with youth advisors from our Center Youth Collective and allcove. They were grateful for the opportunity to connect and learn from Jason, who brings years of experience leading the youth mental health services and programs provided by headspace Australia. Our youth valued his interest in hearing directly from young people and understanding how youth voice shapes our Center’s programs. ✨

It was a meaningful experience to host Jason, gain insights from the headspace model, share the work we are doing, and spotlight the young people leading the way. Thanks for coming Jason! 🙌

08/07/2025

📰 Passionate about mental health and the media? Join the RROCS Project as a youth volunteer!

What is RROCS? Reporting Responsibly on Campus Su***de (RROCS) is a youth-led project that uplifts the unique role of student journalists in covering mental health and su***de in campus settings. The RROCS Guide, a youth-developed, evidence-based resource, offers guidelines and education for covering campus su***de and promoting wellness after a crisis. 📚🧠

We’re looking for youth ages 16–25 to lead educational advocacy efforts that promote safe, responsible media messaging around mental health and su***de prevention.

Responsibilities may include:
- Leading educational workshops and presentations
- Building public awareness of RROCS
- Updating RROCS guidelines as new research becomes available

This is a one-year commitment, starting in September 2025.

Ready to make an impact? Apply by Friday, August 22: tinyurl.com/RROCS-application-2025

Address

401 Quarry Road
Stanford, CA
94305

Website

https://linktr.ee/stanfordyouthmh

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