Caleb Coleman, an eighth-grader at Wangenheim Middle School in Mira Mesa, said he's struggling with stress.
“For example, if you have a big test coming up or something's going wrong at home, you might get really stressed and dread going to class because you might have a panic attack.”
But for 13-year-old Coleman, seeing a counselor wasn't easy.
“My previous school only had one counselor and she was always busy,” Coleman said. “Since coming here in sixth grade, I've been able to talk to all three and feel more open to asking for help.”
Last school year, California's student-to-counselor ratio was 464 to 1, nearly double the ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association. A new state-funded Certified Wellness Coach program aims to address this shortage. The goal is for these non-clinicians to ease the burden on school counselors and social workers.
Ben Gamache works for the state's Office of Healthcare Access and Information, which launched the program earlier this year.
“There's a desperate need for mental health services for children and young people right now, and we've seen it get even worse since the pandemic,” he said.
Gamache said the program is part of California Governor Gavin Newsom's Master Plan for Children's Mental Health and the state's Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Initiative. The state has allocated $338 million to develop and deploy new behavioral health professionals to address this need and the mental health challenges experienced by California's children and adolescents.
Students write positive messages in a wellness corner at Wangenheim Middle School in Mira Mesa, San Diego, on Aug. 21, 2024.
The San Diego Unified School District received about $950,000 to support 10 wellness coaches, including Danielle Okton, who counsels high school students.
“In my case, the main issues patients face are anxiety, stress, time management and lack of motivation, as well as depression and suicidal thoughts,” Okton says.
Wangenheim Middle School has more than 700 students, and Principal Matt Fallon said the school will share health coaches with two neighboring schools.
“There are times when we don't have counselors, so having a wellness coach here will help us continue to provide consistent support for all of our kids,” he said.
