Whole Child, Whole School, and Whole Community to Youth Mental Health & Wellness.
Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Caring Partners,
Adolescence is a unique and crucial stage of human development, laying the foundation for good health, life skills, and future success. During this period, young people undergo rapid changes—cognitive, physical, sexual, emotional, and social. While many adolescents navigate these changes successfully, some face challenges that require our attention and support.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the U.S. More than 50% of people will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lifetime. Specifically, 1 in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
Through continuous improvement efforts, AUHSD is committed to a comprehensive approach to mental health. Focusing on the Whole Child, Whole School, Whole Community framework, we strive to meet the diverse needs of our students and their families. Here is an overview of the services we provide:
- Social Emotional Learning: Through SEL classroom lessons, health classes, positive youth development activities, restorative practices, and more to help build positive relationships in schools, help build like skills, and build mental health literacy.
- Identification and Referral: Teachers and counselors identify and refer students who may need mental health support.
- Mental Health Screening & Assessment: Conducted by mental health care providers in schools to evaluate students' needs.
- Referral & Linkage: Increasing access to community-based mental health care.
- Care Coordination: Collaborating and coordinating with community-based providers to ensure comprehensive care.
- Suicide Prevention and Safety: Our whole school community participates in professional development to identify, screen, and create safety plans for students in who may be at risk.
Each student's needs are unique. At times, screening and assessment may be necessary to better understand the underlying causes of certain symptoms or behaviors. The information provided here is general and does not apply to any individual case or specific mental health condition.
Mental health and wellness are intrinsically linked to learning and academic success. When students are healthy, they are better able to focus, engage, and thrive in their educational pursuits. To support this connection, AUHSD takes a whole-child approach to learning and is dedicated to supporting mental health services combined with the ongoing development of academic programs such as the 5 Cs, AIME, the Pledge, and Career Pathways. These programs foster both academic and personal growth, providing students with the skills and resources they need to succeed.
We are committed to supporting the mental health and wellness of all our students, ensuring they have the foundation they need for a successful and healthy future. We hope that the following information and resources will be of service to you and your child.
AUHSD Team
Search Institute is a nonprofit organization with a sixty-plus-year In conducting and applying research that promotes positive youth development and advances equity. Their tools can help build connections that help all young people learn and grow.
Access the following important resources here:
Build Your Mental Health Literacy
American Psychiatric Association
National Institute of Mental Health
Helpful Websites
Youth and Mental Illness. Is This Just a Stage?
Helpful Resources for Parents
The Parent Guide to Resilience
Bringing Out the Best in Families
Parent Informational Videos
Spanish (Español) Video:
Additional Resources
Get Help and Support
- NAMI: Help & Support
- Programs for Families: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Community Mental Health Services
- Medi-Cal: To access mental health or substance use disorder treatment through Medi-Cal: Contact OCLinks for linkage to community services: 856-625-4667
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Contact your Medi-Cal managed care plan (CalOptima)
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Contact the Medi-Cal Mental Health Care Ombudsman at 1-800-896-4042
Local Mental Health Providers:
- Western Youth Services: 714-871-5646 or 714-517-7107
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OCAPICA: 714-636-6286
Mental Health Myths and Facts
Follow this link to get the facts: Mental Health Myths and Facts
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
VIDEO: What is a Mental Health Crisis?
Are you in a crisis?
If you are having an emergency, call 911.
You Are Not Alone. Tell someone you are hurting or call one of the following crisis hotline numbers.
Be suicide prevention champion. Visit the following links to learn more.
VIDEO: The Warning Signs of Mental Illness
Have you been feeling down lately and it is not getting better on your own?
Talk to your parents or a trusted adult. Tell them that you might need help with your mental health.
Mental illness is a condition that can get worse with time.
It is like a physical disease, such as diabetes. If we find it early, we can provide early intervention and prevention services.
All AUHSD schools have mental health professionals that you can meet with.
You can also ask for help. Tell a teacher, talk to your counselor, or any other adult at your school.
Don't wait. Say something.
VIDEO: How To Help a Friend
Be a Mental Health Champion
Help us spread the word and help your peers by passing this information along to your friend.
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Always encourage your friend to seek help.
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If you have concerns about a friend who may be at risk or suicidal tell a trusted adult, teacher, or counselor.
Build Your Mental Health Literacy.
The more everyone knows about mental illness the better we can support individuals that are struggling.
VIDEO: Why Mental Health is Critical for Academic Success
Resources for Parents and Caregiver's
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OC-Links: Orange County: Behavioral Health Information & Referrals
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Call: 855-625-4657
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TDD: 714-834-2332
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Find help in Orange County
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Why Try: The Parent Guide to Resilience
Search Institute: Bringing Out the Best in Your Family
When can youth receive services in schools?
When a need is identified and a mental health referral is made by staff, the mental health clinician will assess and determine if the minor may benefit from services.
To receive services the following is needed:
- Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) need to provide consent to services.
- California Minor Consent Laws - Minors 12 years and older can and do provide consent to services. (This is rare and usually happens on a case-by-case basis or when parents are not available.)
The exception to consent is when there is a concern for the minor's safety. This means that the information obtained leads staff to believe that the child is a danger to themselves, a danger to others, or is being harmed.
DISCLAIMER REGARDING THE MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION ON THESE PAGES
The contents of the AUHSD website, such as text, graphics, images, and other material ("content"), are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. AUHSD does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, or timeliness of information posted on its site, whether by AUHSD, our employees, users of our site, or third parties. Always seek the advice of a mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your child’s needs or condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the AUHSD website!
Please note that AUHSD and staff are not available 24/7, and our schools are not emergency response centers. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you, your child, or a loved one is having suicidal thoughts, call 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.
AUHSD does not recommend or endorse any clinicians, counselors, psychiatrists, social workers, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the website or linked through an outside agency or provider. AUHSD has developed partnerships with community-based mental health care providers. However, it is up to the consumer (parent/legal guardian) of the child to accept or decline services and to ask questions about eligibility, costs, and insurance coverage. Any links to other websites are provided only for the purpose of convenience or information and do not constitute a referral or endorsement of any of these sites or the owners, services, products, or content on those sites.
AUHSD is not responsible for any aspect of any third-party service providers or websites that may be linked from the AUHSD site, including without limitation the accuracy of the content on those services or use of information you may provide to those services. Your use of third-party websites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.
With input from a multidisciplinary team of administrators, social workers, school counselors, and school psychologists, the contents of this webpage are managed by:
Dr. Adela Cruz, LCSW
- Director of School Mental Health & Wellness
- McKinney-Vento Homeless & Foster Youth Educational Liaison
- Section 504 District Coordinator (504Coordinator@auhsd.us)
If you have questions or comments regarding its contents, please send an email to cruz_ad@auhsd.us