Mental Health Advocacy

Mental health is a critical and often overlooked aspect of a young person’s health. For children and youth who are in juvenile dependency court or part of probate guardianship proceedings, mental health professionals have a crucial role in helping them navigate their experiences.

If you are a current or former foster youth and need mental health services, please contact the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care at 1-800-491-9099 or visit the ACBHCS website.

Helpful Resources

Foster Youth Mental Health Bill of Rights

Pages 24 and 25 of the Foster Youth Rigth Handbook provides important information for young people including questions to ask about medication, how to prepare for visits with physicians, and advice on talking to physicians, social workers, and judges.

Click here to download this pdf.

Mental Health Services at School

In 2011, funding for mental health services changed. School districts are now solely responsible for provision of educationally related mental health services to students with disabilities who require special education. For qualifying students, these services can include but are not limited to counseling, parent training, psychological services, social work services and residential school placements.

For more information about special education eligibility, see our Special Education Toolkit.

Need Mental Health Services?

The National Center for Youth Law has a wonderful publication–Guide to Accessing Medi-Cal Mental Health Services for Current and Former Foster Youth. Foster-Youth-Mental-Health-Guide-English 2024

Promoting the Health and Well-Being of LGBT Youth

Pages 19-21 of the Foster Youth Rights Handbook outline your sexual orientation and gender identity rights.   Click here to download this resource.

Supporting Youth in Foster Care in Making Healthy Choices

This guide is designed to help caregivers and advocates learn more about mental health treatment for youth in foster care.

Making Healthy Choices

This guide shares advice for youth about making decisions related to your health and psychotropic medications.

Additional Links

About EBCLO

Learn more about EBCLO’s work, our mission, and what we do.

Education

EBCLO’s Education Advocacy Program works to help youth succeed in school.

Transitional Age Youth (TAY)

EBCLO works with many TAY, and we’ve compiled tips for young people who are participating in extended foster care or want to return to extended foster care.