California youth urge leaders to preserve investments in mental health | Opinion

Editor’s note: This op-ed contains mentions of suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

California’s mental health initiatives can make a difference for young people like me. That’s why state leaders must preserve funding for mental health during state budget negotiations.

One important initiative is Never A Bother, a state-funded suicide prevention campaign launched in 2024. Co-created by youth, for youth, it empowers them to seek mental health support. I’ve seen how hard getting help can be due to the stigma surrounding suicide. This campaign has helped us, as young Californians, challenge that stigma within our communities, break down barriers to using resources like 988 (the state’s 24/7 suicide and crisis lifeline) and save lives.

But without continued funding, this campaign will effectively end in June.

My adolescent years were spent riddled with depression, anxiety and, at times, suicidal ideation. As I started to make sense of my queer identity, I felt endlessly lost, confused and alone — feelings countless young Californians can relate to.

Mental health wasn’t something I was taught in the community I grew up in, which made grappling with my own struggles even more difficult and isolating during my teenage years. I couldn’t relate to my peers; I didn’t understand what was happening to me; and I didn’t know how to find help. I hadn’t been taught about the kinds of resources I could access.

It wasn’t until somebody noticed I was struggling and intervened that I felt seen enough to open up and begin healing.

I still struggle with my mental health, but the difference now is that I have a support system and a sense of community. I know I’m never a bother. Instead of turning to self-harm and engaging in disordered eating, I turn to healthy coping mechanisms and community.

Never A Bother has enabled California youth to seek help and encourage others to do the same. Youth suicide is a public health emergency: It remains a leading cause of death for Californians ages 10-24, with disproportionately higher rates among youth of color and youth with intersectional identities, such as also being LGBTQIA+.

Mental health education and awareness, specifically geared toward youth, is needed for these communities, and campaigns such as Never a Bother work with communities to customize messages that are unique to and reach young folks.

As a fellow at Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance’s S.P.E.A.K. (Suicide Prevention Education and Knowledge), my colleagues and I promote mental health education through content creation and interactive workshops. We facilitate safe spaces in our community for queer youth who desperately need support, especially those who may not have supportive families or outlets outside of our programming.

The Race and Gender Equity Project in Sacramento, a community organization, empowers youth leaders to connect and heal together around mental health. As they put it, “Through Never a Bother, our youth have been able to bring light to darkness and ventilate their emotions and culturally-rooted endeavors with mental health through both singular and collective voice. It’s a platform that has given our youth a means to disconnect from stigmas and reconnect through acceptance and love.”

I’m glad to see that Gov. Gavin Newsom included proposed funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the budget following cuts from the federal government. This shows concern for mental health. But young advocates like myself know that this alone is not enough to address the crisis we face. We can’t afford to lose the progress we’ve made with Never a Bother and other mental health campaigns that have made a real difference in the lives of young people like myself.

Ceasing to fund these programs would put lives at risk, breaking trust between youth and the state. It would suggest that our mental health is not a priority, and that our voices don’t matter. We can’t afford to lose the support these life-saving initiatives provide.

This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "California youth urge leaders to preserve investments in mental health | Opinion."