COUNTY OF VENTURA — Across America, school-aged children are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis. One in three high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. In Ventura County, between 2017 and 2019, one of six students in grades 7, 9, and 11 considered suicide. Half of all mental illness presents itself by age 14, yet few children get the services they need. There is a shortage of sustainable resources addressing mental health concerns among school-aged youth.
The 2021-2022 Ventura County Grand Jury investigated the resources used by the Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County Behavioral Health, and five Ventura County public school districts to meet the mental health needs of school-aged youth. These school districts represent more than 60% of the County’s public-school population.
The Grand Jury found that the school setting is an effective venue to provide mental health services and early mental health intervention. The Grand Jury also found that on-campus Wellness Centers, which have been piloted in some Ventura County high schools, improve access to mental health services while promoting the well-being of students.
Based on the initial success of the Wellness Center pilot program, the Grand Jury recommends that Wellness Centers be expanded to all Ventura County public high schools, and a strategy be developed to expand Wellness Centers into Ventura County public middle schools.
The Grand Jury found that Medi-Cal is underutilized as a funding source for mental health services by Ventura County Office of Education and Ventura County school districts. Other California counties have successfully claimed Medi-Cal matching funds to finance sustainable school-based mental health services. The Grand Jury recommends that an infrastructure be created to claim Mental Health Medi-Cal Administrative Activities funds for Wellness Centers.
Recommendations from the Grand Jury can serve as a model for all Ventura County school districts to strengthen the mental health services accessible to their students.
To read the entire report please go to https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/fiscal-year-2021-2022/
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury is a panel of 19 local citizens established to investigate public complaints about county, city or special districts management, policies, practices and processes. More information about the Grand Jury can be found here: https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/