March 24th, 2025
The Honorable Ash Kalra
Chair, Assembly Judiciary Committee
1020 N Street, Room 104
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Opposition to Assembly Bill 579 (Castillo)
Dear Chair,
The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) respectfully opposes Assembly Bill 579 (Castillo), legislation that puts transgender youth at greater risk of potential child abuse and neglect by changing statute to explicitly state that misgendering a child or denying them gender-affirming medical care are not forms of child abuse or neglect.
CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network, comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members, that engages, empowers, and represents Transitional Age Youth (TAY), ages 15-26, in mental health advocacy on issues that directly affect TAY. Since CAYEN’s inception in 2006, CAYEN has actively worked to empower TAY and drive meaningful change in public policy. Youth deserve to live as their authentic selves and should not be subjected to neglect and abuse impacting their overall health and wellness.
As a TAY-led network run for and by TAY, public policy solutions that address the needs of youth are most effective when youth voices are at the center of decision-making, especially when policies directly impact them. CAYEN has led successful statewide policy campaigns on mental health education, the Office of Suicide Prevention, and substance use harm reduction, all developed and driven by youth leadership.[1] In contrast, AB 579 disregards the voices of transgender youth, ignoring their right to exist safely and potentially exposing them to continued neglect and abuse from individuals who should be supporting and caring for them.
A 2022 report from The Trevor Project found that suicide attempts among transgender youth increased by 72% between 2018 and 2022. This alarming rise is linked to the growing wave of anti-transgender laws in 19 states, restricting access to gender-affirming care, bathroom use, and school participation.[2] AB 579 would disregard a youth’s identity. As a result, transgender youth will suffer serious harm, facing a significant risk of experiencing a mental health crisis and suicide.
Transgender youth are asking to be recognized and supported in safe environments that affirm their identity. For these reasons, CAYEN must oppose AB 579 (Castillo) and ask you to vote “No.” If you have any questions, or if CAYEN can provide assistance on this bill or any other behavioral health legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org or our Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari, at kvicari@mhaofca.org.
Sincerely,
Danny Thirakul
California Youth Empowerment Network
Public Policy Coordinator
[1] California Youth Empowerment Network. (2024). Advocacy Across California.
[2] News, T. (2025, February 11). Anti-transgender laws cause up to 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth, study shows. The Trevor Project.