Position Category: Assembly Bill

April 15th, 2025 

The Honorable Mia Bonta  
Chair, Assembly Health Committee  
1020 N Street, Room 390 
Sacramento, CA 95814 

RE: Support for Assembly Bill 785 (Sharp-Collins)

Dear Chair Bonta,   

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support AB 785 (Sharp-Collins), legislation that would create the Community Violence Interdiction Grant Program, aimed at providing funding for community-driven solutions to decrease violence in neighborhoods and schools. A key component of this grant program is its flexibility to fund enhanced recreation and health-based activities, trauma-informed interventions for youth, and the creation of school-based health centers.

CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which 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 taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy. 

Youth across California are experiencing heightened mental health and substance use challenges due to a variety of external factors related to family, school, and community environment. This bill presents an opportunity to invest in community-based services and support for youth most impacted by violence, gang involvement, trauma, homelessness, poverty, and justice system involvement. This grant’s focus on community-based services ensures that institutions are well resourced and prepared to meet youth where they are and enrich youth lives towards better health outcomes.

For these reasons, CAYEN strongly supports AB 785 (Sharp-Collins) and urges your “Aye” vote. 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 

April 23^rd, 2025

The Honorable Mike Fong
Assembly Higher Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 173
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: CAYEN Support for Assembly Bill 602 (Haney)

Dear Chair Fong,   

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support AB 602 (Haney), legislation that would establish a harm reduction approach to supporting students in post-secondary education institutions who use substances.

CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which 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 taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy.   

Disciplinary procedures disproportionately impact students of color when substance use among White students are just as high if not higher than their African American and Hispanic counterparts.[1] This unjust application can be remedied by focusing on how to support every student instead of how to punish them. This bill ensures that students won’t be disciplined for seeking medical attention if they are experiencing a drug overdose or seeking medical assistance for someone else experiencing a drug-related overdose. In addition, this bill would require schools to assign an activity to the student, such as participating in meetings with a school counselor or attending a drug education group to ensure proper support for the student without additional sanctions.  

This bill empowers students to freely seek help during a substance use emergency without fear of punishment, while ensuring school can connect them to supportive services. For these reasons, CAYEN supports AB 602 (Haney) and asks for your “Aye” vote. 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] McCabe, S. E., Morales, M., Cranford, J. A., Delva, J., McPherson, M. D., & Boyd, C. J. (2007). Race/ethnicity and gender differences in drug use and abuse among college students. Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse, 6(2), 75–95.

April 23^rd, 2025

The Honorable Al Muratsuchi
Assembly Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 159
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: CAYEN Support for AB 1034 (Ávila Farías)

Dear Chair Muratsuchi,   

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support AB 1034 (Ávila Farías), legislation that would include a basic understanding of youth mental health in a professional preparation program required for teacher credentialing.

CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which 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 taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy. Creating spaces that nurture and support youth so they can access critical mental health and substance use services is vital to the destigmatization revolving around mental health.

The Center for Disease Control released their Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023 and found that there was an increase in youth experiencing violence, poor mental health, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.[1] Since TAY spend a significant portion of their lives at school, a teacher is often the first-person youth seek support from if experiencing mental health challenges. Teachers are also most likely to identify potential challenges youth are experiencing given their daily interactions with them.

The ability to identify youth at risk and provide support before their mental health or substance use challenges exacerbates will help bridge gaps in access and reduce mental health disparities. This bill ensures teachers will have basic knowledge of youth mental health and will better prepare them to support youth health and wellness. It is for these reasons, CAYEN supports AB 1034 (Avila Farías) and asks for your “Aye” vote. 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] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2024.

March 24^th, 2025

The Honorable Al Muratsuchi
Chair, Assembly Education Committee  
1020 N Street, Room 159 
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Support for Assembly Bill 908 (Solache)

Dear Chair, 

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support Assembly Bill 908 (Solache), a bill that would ensure school districts prioritize the education and well-being of LGBTQ+ pupils by requiring a state priority in their local control and accountability plans (LCAP) that describes the school district’s implementation of supportive policies and initiatives for LGBTQ+ pupils. 

CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which 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 taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy.  

Schools are essential public institutions that support youth in their social and emotional learning. However, disparities in school connectedness pose a significant risk factor for developing mental health and substance use challenges.[1] A recent study by UCLA’s Williams Institute also found that 10% of public middle and high school students identify as LGBTQ+ in California. These students reported lower levels of school connectedness compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers.[2] By requiring school districts to describe their implementation of support services for LGBTQ+ youth in their local control and accountability plans, schools can easily identify where the gaps in support are and efficiently address the lack of support or services provided to LGBTQ+ youth.

By requiring school districts to document these efforts, AB 908 will help ensure LGBTQ+ students receive the support they need and prevent behavioral health challenges from developing. For these reasons, we support AB 908 (Solache). 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] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Substance use among youth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

[2] Choi, S.K. Baams, L., & Wilson, B.D.M.  (2017). LGBTQ Youth in California’s Public Schools: Differences across the State. Los Angeles: The Williams Institute