Pacific Clinics received a $8.3M grant from the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) to offer employment to Certified Wellness Coaches (Coaches) who provide non-clinical behavioral health services to children and young adults through age 25. The grant will enable Pacific Clinics to provide services designed to destigmatize mental and behavioral health challenges.
Addressing a need
Today’s youth are facing unique stressors that add up to increasing mental health challenges,
especially for those from historically marginalized communities. Nationally, in 2021, an alarming 4 in 10 kids felt persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly one-third experienced poor mental health, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Right now, half of California’s youth are struggling with their mental health and well-being. There has never been a better time to become a California Certified Wellness Coach. A strong and diverse workforce means a healthier California.
What is a Wellness Coach?
There is an urgent need to support the mental health demands of California’s children and youth. Certified Wellness Coaches provide care to young people through prevention and early intervention services. These services support overall physical, emotional and mental well-being. By reaching children and youth before they are in crisis, Coaches increase access to crucial well-being and support services and allow licensed and credentialed employees to focus on individuals who may have more complex needs or require higher levels of support.
Coaches working at Pacific Clinics will use their skills to work alongside licensed therapists, counselors and health care providers. Coaches work as part of a care team, supporting six core services:
- Care coordination
- Crisis referral
- Group support
- Individual support
- Screening
- Wellness promotion and education
“We are thrilled to be a part of the solution to address the increasing need to support our youth facing daily stressors and helping them navigate unique challenges,” said Regional Executive Director of School-Based Intervention Lacey Castellese.
Certification eligibility and pathways are based on whether applicants are recent graduates of addiction studies, human services, or social work or professionals currently working in wellness coaching or a similar field.
See the Certified Wellness Coach website to learn more about the role of becoming a Coach.
