Most mental health support systems are designed from the student up. But sustainable, proactive support requires starting with the adults who make belonging possible.
At Scholarship Prep, staff wellness and community come first, and inform the culture of belonging for students. "Tier 0" efforts aimed at adult wellness and structured time for community building strengthen the capacity for truly universal Tier 1 support and actionable pathways to proactively addressing Tier 2 & 3 needs.
This session will unpack the development and impact of Scholarship Prep's Community Meeting toolkit, including: threshold greetings, daily SEL time, classroom resource centers, a weekly universal screener, intentional community partnerships, and designated support for staff.
We'll ground the session in learning science on adult wellness and trusting student-adult relationships as drivers of student outcomes. Scholarship Prep leaders will share the journey behind their Community Meeting model and its impact on more accurate and earlier identification of student needs. Participants will experience elements of the toolkit firsthand through roleplay activities before collaborating to design their own community meeting structure, including how to connect screener data to an action plan for support.
Attendees will leave with an actionable starting point for whole-school mental health support that starts with staff and reaches every student.
Ms. Alisha Rodriguez is a highly motivated school counselor and 504 Site Coordinator with over six years of experience in education. As a dedicated student advocate and lifelong learner, she is committed to supporting the academic, social-emotional, and personal growth of all students... Read More →
Learn about the latest updates and impacts of California’s new Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) profession from the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), a workforce helping schools expand prevention and early intervention support for children and youth. In this informational session, HCAI will share recent developments, early outcomes, and hear insights from a local employer who has integrated CWCs into their system to strengthen school-based care teams and promote the overall health and well-being of children and youth.
Learning Objectives:
* Understand the purpose and scope of the Certified Wellness Coach profession in California. * Learn about early implementation outcomes and emerging impact on school-based behavioral health support. * Hear directly from a local employer about practical approaches for integrating CWCs into existing care teams. * Identify opportunities for leveraging CWCs to enhance prevention and early intervention services for children and youth.
Health Program Specialist, California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI)
Samantha Sadler is a Health Program Specialist with the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) Office of Health Workforce Development (OHWD) in the Behavioral Health and Policy Branch. She brings experience in behavioral health, community organizing, and public policy... Read More →
This session will explore how registered apprenticeship and earn-and-learn workforce models can expand and strengthen the behavioral health workforce by creating accessible, supported pathways into the field for individuals with lived experience and nontraditional educational backgrounds. Participants will learn how California’s behavioral health apprenticeship initiatives are being used to address workforce shortages while improving retention, equity, and long-term career development.
Presenters will share the development and implementation of the California Wellness Coach Apprenticeship Project, highlighting strategies for employer engagement, cross-sector collaboration, competency-based training, mentorship, and wraparound supports.
The session will also include a moderated Q&A discussion with program administrators and an active apprentice currently participating in the apprenticeship program. This discussion will provide attendees with real-world perspectives on implementation, participant experience, mentorship, employer engagement, and lessons learned throughout the apprenticeship journey.
Attendees will gain practical insight into building sustainable workforce pathways through partnerships between employers, educational institutions, workforce agencies, and community organizations, and will leave with actionable ideas and examples they can adapt within their own organizations or regions.
