Dear community member,
Mental health challenges can affect students in many ways, from attendance, academic achievement, and behavior to a student’s sense of connection and belonging.
At the same time, schools can be places of belonging and support, where trusted adults, strong partnerships, and accessible resources help students and families navigate challenges before they become crises.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize how essential mental health is to learning, relationships, and overall well-being. We know the need in our community is great, even as the latest local data shows a trend in an optimistic direction. The share of LGBTQ+ students reporting that they seriously considered attempting suicide declined from 38% in 2023 to 30% in 2025, while the rate among non-LGBTQ+ students declined from 11% to 8%. While we are moving in the right direction, this data shows how much work remains to be done.
The Santa Cruz COE works alongside school districts, county agencies, and community partners to strengthen behavioral health supports across our county. Over the past three years, we have trained hundreds of educators and school staff across Santa Cruz County in Youth Mental Health First Aid, which equips adults to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in adolescents. We are now expanding this work by training our first teen cohorts in teen Mental Health First Aid, a peer-focused model that teaches students in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, how to support friends and peers and connect them with a trusted adult. This model requires at least 10% of school staff to be trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid before teen training is offered, helping ensure students are supported by a prepared network of adults.
As part of this work, we maintain a Behavioral Health Resource List for the school community and community at large. Please also take note of these key local crisis contacts:
Santa Cruz County 24-Hour Suicide Crisis Line: 9-8-8
Santa Cruz County 24-Hour Crisis Line: 1-800-952-2335, for immediate crisis support and psychiatric crisis assessment
NAMI Santa Cruz County Help Line: 831-427-8020 (English) and 831-205-7074 (Spanish), for help navigating local mental health resources
Trevor Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386, for LGBTQ+ youth crisis support
While mental health is a priority all year long, I encourage you to take time this month to review and share the many resources available as we continue building school communities where care, connection, and support are always within reach.
Yours in education and equity,
Dr. Faris Sabbah
Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools