TAY leaders at The Youth Alliance raised youth-centered awareness about fentanyl poisoning and substance-use prevention, including multiple in-person and virtual community town halls.

CAYEN partnered with Youth Alliance starting in 2022 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, including youth navigating grief, loss, anxiety, depression, and substance use related impacts.

Youth Alliance brought together a TAY Action Team rooted in peer connection and real community need, especially as many young people were carrying grief from COVID, community violence, and personal loss while also watching fentanyl reshape what risk and safety looked like for their peers.

CAYEN supported youth through stipends, consistent mentorship, and leadership development spaces that helped youth move from personal experience into organized action.

Youth strengthened facilitation and peer leadership skills by supporting and shaping grief focused support spaces, and they developed advocacy skills by learning how to talk about grief and substance use in ways that were honest, stigma free, and grounded in care.

With coaching from CAYEN, youth planned and uplifted a grief centered town hall that created space for young people to speak openly about loss, normalize help seeking, and elevate the need for accessible, youth centered behavioral health supports.

Youth also advanced fentanyl awareness efforts that emphasized prevention and harm reduction, helping peers understand overdose risk and how to access support without fear or shame. Throughout this work, CAYEN supported youth to understand how local behavioral health systems respond to grief, crisis, and substance use prevention, including how county services, school based supports, and community organizations connect.

As a result, youth increased their confidence navigating behavioral health systems, strengthened their leadership identity as peer supporters and advocates, and elevated practical solutions that helped their community respond to grief and fentanyl with care, education, and action. 

TAY leaders at OC Human Relations introduced peer-led services and transforming school environments into more supportive and accessible wellness spaces. As a result, their high school principal implemented a new weekly homework schedule that reduced homework loads (such as no homework Fridays) to directly address student burnout.

CAYEN partnered with OC Human Relations starting in 2022 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, particularly youth of color navigating the mental health impacts of discrimination, hate incidents, and academic stress.

Youth were recruited through community based programs focused on equity, civic engagement, and community healing and were supported as a TAY Action Team through stipends, leadership development, and ongoing mentorship.

CAYEN supported youth to explore how experiences of racism, harassment, and institutional pressure affect mental health and to connect those experiences to broader behavioral health and education systems.

Through leadership spaces and advocacy training, youth developed skills in storytelling, facilitation, and public education and learned how to engage school and county systems in conversations about prevention and wellbeing.

As part of this work, youth raised concerns about academic stress directly with school leadership. In response to youth advocacy, a local high school principal implemented “No Homework Fridays” to help reduce student stress and support student wellbeing. This outcome demonstrated to youth that their voices could lead to concrete, preventative changes within systems they navigate every day and reinforced their role as leaders capable of shaping healthier school and community environments.

TAY leaders at Mental Health Association of San Francisco pushed for a TAY-designed wellness center to increase access to mental-health resources. This led to their launch of a virtual TAY wellness center that included TAY-led, peer-led workshops and peer support services such as the California peer-run warm line.

CAYEN partnered with the Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHASF) starting in 2019 to engage Transitional Age Youth who were accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, many of whom were LGBTQ+, system-impacted, or navigating housing instability.

As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person services, youth leaders identified an urgent gap in accessible and youth-centered mental health support. With mentorship and technical support from CAYEN, youth designed and launched a fully TAY-led virtual wellness center that was staffed by youth and built specifically to meet the needs of their peers during isolation.

CAYEN supported youth through leadership development, stipends, and ongoing coaching to move from idea to implementation, including planning services, defining roles, and sustaining engagement in a virtual environment.

Youth learned how community-based behavioral health services interface with county systems and how alternative service models can be developed within public health constraints.

Youth planned and facilitated a virtual town hall titled “Voices for Hope: De-Stigmatize Mental Health for Muslim Youth” on October 19, 2020, which was livestreamed and reached 661 community members.  As a result, youth not only expanded access to peer-led mental health support during COVID, but also gained hands-on experience in program design, service delivery, and systems adaptation, strengthening their leadership and advocacy skills in real and tangible ways.

TAY leaders at Fresno Barrios Unidos advocated for and implemented culturally competent grief-counseling services across K–12 schools in their county.

CAYEN partnered with Fresno Barrios Unidos starting in 2022 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, particularly youth navigating community violence, substance use impacts, grief, and chronic stress rooted in structural inequities.

Youth involved were often carrying the mental health effects of loss, over policing, and limited access to culturally responsive supports. CAYEN supported youth as a TAY Action Team through stipends, consistent mentorship, and leadership development spaces that centered healing, cultural identity, and collective care.

Youth were supported to reflect on how violence and substance related harm affect mental health not only at an individual level, but across families and neighborhoods. Through advocacy planning and leadership development, youth built skills in facilitation, storytelling, and community education and learned how to engage local systems in conversations about prevention and healing.

CAYEN also supported youth to better understand how county behavioral health systems intersect with community based violence prevention efforts and substance use services.

Through this work, youth strengthened their leadership identity, increased confidence navigating behavioral health systems, and elevated community driven approaches to mental health that center prevention, healing, and dignity for TAY in Fresno County.

TAY leaders at Mending Matters advocated for dedicating daily school time to mental-health awareness and wellness practices. They even led their own virtual youth-led wellness conference!

CAYEN partnered with Mending Matters starting in 2022 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, particularly youth navigating substance use, recovery, and co-occurring mental health challenges.

Many youth participants were system impacted and had direct experience with gaps in prevention, harm reduction, and culturally responsive behavioral health care. Youth were supported as a TAY Action Team through stipends, structured leadership development, and consistent mentorship that emphasized healing, accountability, and peer leadership.

Building on skills developed in earlier cohorts, CAYEN supported youth to move beyond identifying problems and toward shaping concrete solutions rooted in lived experience. Youth deepened their advocacy skills through facilitated discussions, storytelling, and community education, and learned how county behavioral health systems address substance use prevention and recovery services.

CAYEN supported youth to understand how local prevention infrastructure, community based organizations, and public funding intersect. Through this work, youth strengthened their leadership identity, increased confidence navigating behavioral health systems, and contributed to prevention focused strategies that elevated youth voice in conversations about substance use and mental health in San Diego County.

TAY leaders at The Wall Las Memorias Project advocated for expanded, affirming mental-health supports for LGBTQIA2S+ youth, with a special focus on serving the unique needs of Latinx TAY and community members.

CAYEN partnered with Wall Las Memorias Project starting in 2019 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, with a specific focus on LGBTQ+ TAY of color experiencing housing instability and barriers to affirming care.

Youth were recruited through trusted community-based programs already providing behavioral health, housing, and HIV prevention services, ensuring participation from TAY with lived experience navigating county systems. CAYEN provided structured mentorship and leadership development through regular youth leadership meetings, stipends, and trauma-informed facilitation, which was particularly critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through these supports, youth were guided to reflect on their experiences with mental health services and collectively identify gaps in access to culturally and identity-affirming care.

As part of this work, youth planned and led a virtual town hall titled “TAY Opportunities for Change” on August 27, 2020, which was livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook and reached 429 community members. CAYEN supported youth to build advocacy skills in public speaking, facilitation, and storytelling, and to understand how local behavioral health systems fund and deliver services.

As a result, youth elevated the need for peer-led and affirming behavioral health supports, increased visibility of LGBTQ+ TAY mental health needs among local stakeholders, and strengthened their readiness to engage in future systems and policy advocacy. 

TAY leaders at Mental Wellness Center mobilized to integrate mental-health education into their local high schools’ health curriculums. They also led a unique creative campaign with a local footwear brand, SeaVees!

CAYEN partnered with the Mental Wellness Center starting in 2019 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, particularly youth connected to school and community-based wellness programming who were navigating stress, anxiety, depression, and stigma.

CAYEN supported youth through leadership development spaces that focused on trust-building, real talk about mental health, and practical skill-building so youth could speak up for themselves and their peers. As youth clarified what was missing in their schools and communities, CAYEN coached them on how to turn those needs into public messaging and community action that felt authentic to young people.

As a result, their TAY worked with CAYEN and planned and led a virtual town hall titled “Mental Health, Let’s Talk About It” on August 24, 2020, which was livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook and reached 751 community members. 

Another standout example of their advocacy was the Mental Wellness Center’s partnership with the Santa Barbara based shoe brand SeaVees, where students from the Wellness Connection Council helped bring a mental health awareness sneaker campaign to life, including participating in the promotional campaign and elevating youth voice as the heart of the effort. The partnership also included a commitment to donate a portion of sales to support the Mental Wellness Center’s work, reinforcing how youth-led mental health messaging can move beyond awareness and into tangible community investment. 

Through this work, youth strengthened communication and leadership skills, gained experience collaborating with community partners, and deepened their understanding of how local behavioral health efforts connect to broader systems and resources. 

TAY leaders at Slavic Assistance Center pushed for stronger school-based supports addressing behavioral-health and substance-use needs.

CAYEN, partnered with the Slavic Assistance Center starting in 2021 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services within Eastern European immigrant and refugee communities.

Many youth participants were navigating trauma related to migration, family separation, and resettlement, while also facing language barriers and limited access to culturally responsive mental health services. Youth were supported as a TAY Action Team through stipends, consistent mentorship, and leadership spaces that emphasized safety, cultural understanding, and peer connection.

CAYEN worked closely with youth to create space for them to talk honestly about mental health in ways that felt accessible and culturally relevant, often for the first time. Through guided reflection and advocacy planning, youth identified gaps in behavioral health access, including a lack of linguistically appropriate services and limited outreach to immigrant families.

CAYEN supported youth to build advocacy skills by practicing how to share their stories, educate community members, and engage with service providers and local leaders. Youth also learned how county behavioral health systems operate, including how services are funded and how community based organizations can advocate for more inclusive approaches.

Through this process, youth strengthened their leadership identity, increased confidence navigating systems that often felt intimidating, and elevated the mental health needs of Slavic and Eastern European TAY within Sacramento County. 

TAY leaders at The Village Project championed the creation of a TAY-specific wellness center to strengthen access to healing spaces.

CAYEN partnered with The Village Project starting in 2019 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, with a specific focus on Black and Brown youth in Seaside who were navigating mental health challenges alongside a lack of culturally responsive services.

Youth were supported as a TAY Action Team through stipends, leadership development, and ongoing mentorship that centered lived experience and community context. Using the Multimedia Voice process, youth identified the absence of a TAY led and TAY specific wellness center as a critical gap in their county and shaped this into a clear advocacy ask.

CAYEN supported youth to build skills in facilitation, storytelling, and collective organizing, while also helping them understand how local behavioral health systems operate and how to identify and engage adult allies and decision-makers.

Youth planned and facilitated a virtual town hall titled “Finding Strength in Unity and Community” on August 29, 2020, which was livestreamed and reached 582 community members.

Through this experience, youth strengthened their leadership identity, gained confidence navigating behavioral health systems, and directly engaged local stakeholders around the need for youth led wellness infrastructure in Monterey County. 

TAY leaders at Hmong Cultural Center elevated the need for culturally rooted peer-support and creative-arts healing programs. They were able to turn this vision into a fully-funded youth prevention program.

CAYEN partnered with the Hmong Cultural Center of Butte County starting in 2021 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services within the local Hmong community. Many youth participants were navigating anxiety, depression, and intergenerational trauma while also facing strong cultural stigma around discussing mental health.

Youth were supported as a TAY Action Team through stipends, consistent mentorship, and leadership development spaces that centered cultural identity, language, and creative expression as entry points into mental health conversations.

CAYEN worked alongside youth to build trust and normalize dialogue about mental health in ways that felt respectful to family and community context. Through guided reflection and advocacy planning, youth developed skills in storytelling, community education, and facilitation, and learned how to translate lived experience into collective advocacy.

CAYEN supported youth to understand how local behavioral health systems operate, including the role of culturally specific organizations in shaping services and workforce pathways.

As youth advocacy efforts progressed, the work contributed to increased visibility of Hmong TAY mental health needs and helped lay the groundwork for expanded TAY focused capacity within the organization, including the creation of a new full time TAY focused position that was later filled by a former participant. Through this experience, youth saw a clear connection between leadership development, advocacy, and tangible systems of change. 

TAY leaders at Two Feathers Native American Family Services advocated for a “Home Away From Home” youth space anchored in cultural connection and wellness. They presented this vision as a business plan to multiple funders and received funding to realize their “Home Away From Home” space and hire multiple TAY staff to lead programming.

CAYEN partnered with Two Feathers Native American Family Services starting in 2021 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, with a focus on Native and Indigenous youth navigating historical trauma, grief, and limited access to culturally grounded care.

Youth were engaged as paid Youth Ambassadors, recognizing employment as a critical strategy for reducing barriers to participation and supporting youth stability. CAYEN supported youth through leadership development, mentorship, and advocacy training that honored Indigenous knowledge systems and centered healing, land, and community connection as core to wellness.

Youth were guided to reflect on their experiences with behavioral health systems and to identify gaps where existing services did not align with Indigenous values or youth realities.

With support from CAYEN, youth translated their vision into a concrete proposal and presented a business plan to multiple funders, articulating the need for a culturally grounded, youth led wellness space. This advocacy resulted in funding to bring their vision to life through the development of the “Home Away From Home” space and the eventual hiring of 28 TAY staff to lead youth-centered programming.

Through this process, youth deepened their understanding of how behavioral health systems, funding structures, and community based organizations intersect, while gaining hands on experience in systems navigation, workforce development, and infrastructure building.

The experience reinforced youth leadership identity and demonstrated how sustained advocacy can lead to tangible, long term systems change that honors TAY cultural and historic roots. 

TAY leaders at OC MECCA championed the expansion of peer-support services and training (via the statewide Peer Support Specialist Certification) throughout Orange County and their network of youth-serving programs.

CAYEN partnered with OC MECCA starting in 2021 to engage Transitional Age Youth accessing or seeking behavioral health supports and services, particularly youth of color navigating mental health challenges alongside experiences of discrimination, school pushout, and system involvement.

Youth were recruited through community based programs rooted in organizing and social justice, and were supported as a TAY Action Team through stipends, leadership development, and ongoing mentorship.

CAYEN supported youth to reflect on how mental health challenges were shaped by broader systems such as policing, education, and housing, and helped them connect personal experiences to collective advocacy goals.

Through leadership spaces and Multimedia Voice work, youth developed skills in storytelling, facilitation, and public speaking, and learned how to frame their lived experience as evidence for systems change.

CAYEN also supported youth to understand how county behavioral health systems interface with other public systems and how youth voices can influence policy and resource allocation.

Through this work, youth strengthened their ability to engage decision makers, advocate for trauma informed and culturally responsive behavioral health supports, and see themselves as leaders capable of shaping the systems that affect their lives.