Position Category: CAYEN

June 22, 2023

The Honorable Chair
Assembly Education Committee
1021 O St., Suite 8630
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Support – SB 274 (Skinner)

Dear Assembly Member Skinner:

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support SB 274 (Skinner), which would eliminate the sunset on willful defiance suspensions for middle school students, extend this safeguard to high school students, and prohibit suspensions based solely on truancy, tardiness, or attendance records.

The California Youth Empowerment Network (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. 

Suspending students for willful defiance is detrimental to the academic and personal development of our transitional age youth. Our education system is meant to challenge our youth to think critically, independently, and seek truth. To suspend our youth for willful defiance such as “talking back” does not provide learning opportunities. In fact, research demonstrates that suspending students for any reason increases the likelihood that the student will have future contact with the justice system. Research also shows that positive behavior intervention, support models, and restorative justice are more effective than suspension at managing behavioral expression.

For these reasons, we SUPPORT SB 274. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.

In Community,

Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network

March 29, 2023

The Honorable Tom Umberg
State Senate
1021 O St., Suite 6530
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Support for SB 250 (Umberg)

Dear Senator Umberg:

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to Support SB 250, which expands California’s 911 Good Samaritan law to decriminalize the self-reporting of fentanyl poisonings and opioid overdoses to law enforcement and the receiving of medical assistance through medical devices such as smart watches.

The California Youth Empowerment Network (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.  

Overdoses frequently occur when an individual ingests a pill or other substance that has been laced with fentanyl. SB 250 will encourage the use of fentanyl testing strips by eliminating the criminalization that would otherwise result from the individual’s reporting of fentanyl adulteration. In addition to guaranteeing that people receive help and not handcuffs, SB 250 provides an opportunity to get Fentanyl off the street and decrease further poisonings or overdoses from occurring to themselves and their community.

For these reasons, we support Senate Bill 250. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.

In Community,

Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network

June 21, 2023

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

RE: Support for Senate Bill 11 (Menjivar)

Dear Assembly Member Fong,

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support Senate Bill 11, which would require the trustees to comply with various requirements on mental health counseling at California State University (CSU), including having one full-time equivalent California-licensed mental health counselor per 1,500 students enrolled at each CSU campus. Additionally, the bill would establish the CSU Mental Health Professionals Act to provide one-time grants to certain CSU students to become mental health counselors in the state and prioritize hiring these grant recipients who obtain licensure.

The California Youth Empowerment Network 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 inception in 2006, CAYEN has taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy. One area of focus is to increase accessibility to mental health services and support for all TAY.

With 75% of all mental health challenges manifesting by age 24, access to mental health services are vital to TAY development. Hundreds of thousands of TAY students live in college dorms and rely on campus services, such as mental health counseling, and for many it is their only access to mental health services.

Senate Bill 11 will ensure that the mental health needs of our youth are being met by holding colleges accountable to the counselor to student ratio. In addition to expanding access to mental health services, this bill will create a pathway for students to enter the behavioral health industry. In summary, we will be able to provide youth with the mental health services they need and want while simultaneously addressing the workforce shortage in the behavioral health space.

For these reasons, we support Senate Bill 11 and ask for your “aye’ vote. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.

In Community,

Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network

CC: Members of the Assembly Higher Education Committee
Senator Caroline Menjivar

March 29, 2023

The Honorable John Laird
1021 O Street, Suite 8720
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4017

RE: Support for SB 857 (Laird)

Dear Senator Laird:

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support Senate Bill 857, legislation which would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene an advisory task force to identify the statewide needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and plus (LGBTQ+) pupils and to assist in implementing supportive policies and initiatives to address LGBTQ+ pupil education.

The California Youth Empowerment Network (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.  

When curriculum, policy, strategic plans, or general decision-making in education occurs, it is important that we take into consideration the perspectives of our most underserved and disproportionately impacted communities. Providing a space for impacted groups to be a part of the decision-making process guarantees the inclusion of those perspectives in the process.

As a TAY led organization, we prioritize direct representation and meaningful engagement for youth. For our LGBTQ+ community, there are a variety of needs that are not being addressed in our education system. Senate Bill 857 not only works to identify what those needs are but requires the LGBTQ+ community to be a part of the taskforce making the identifications and recommendations.

For these reasons, we support SB 857. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.

In Community,

Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network

April 4, 2023

The Honorable Melissa Hurtado
California State Senate
1021 O Street, Room 7310
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Support for SB 472

Dear Senator Hurtado:

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to supportSenate Bill 472 (Hurtado), legislation which would require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to maintain at least 2 doses of naloxone hydrochloride or another opioid antagonist for purposes of those authorizations and report information regarding naloxone hydrochloride or other opioid antagonists to the State Department of Public Health, Department of Education, and parents or guardians of pupils.

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY (Transitional Age Youth) Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which engages, empowers and represents 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.  

Senate Bill 472 will ensure our schools are prepared to protect youth in the event of an overdose. With the dramatic increase in Fentanyl poisoning, we know youth are now more susceptible and at risk. Youth who experience overdose can just as easily be first-time or infrequent users as individuals with a substance use issue. Requiring K-12 schools to maintain naloxone on campus will save countless children and youth in California. In addition, the use of these preventative measures will be reported to the state and to parents or guardians, granting full transparency about what is happening in our local community. 

For these reasons, we support Senate Bill 472. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.

In Community,

Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network

April 4, 2023

The Honorable Anthony J. Portantino
California State Senate
1021 O Street, Suite 7630
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Support for Senate Bill 509 (Portantino)

Dear Senator Portantino,

The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support Senate Bill 509 (Portantino), legislation which would require the Department of Education to identify training programs that instruct on recognizing the signs and symptoms of youth behavioral health disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major clinical depression, and anxiety disorders. In addition, the bill would require 75% of a local education agency’s classified and certified employees, who have direct contact with pupils at school, receive behavioral health training. Furthermore, it would require pupils to receive evidence-based, age-appropriate mental health education from instructors trained in the appropriate courses at least once in elementary school, at least once in junior high school or middle school, and at least once in high school.

CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which engage, empowers and represents 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.  

Behavioral health challenges can start at a young age and, when recognized, can be addressed with support and services that foster healthy early childhood to transitional age development. The ability to recognize those signs and understand what they mean requires consistent education and training. Senate Bill 509 could help our teachers identify, and our youth self-identify behavioral health challenges and seek help by establishing consistent behavioral health education from elementary to high school.

As our youth understand more about themselves and seek help, it is important we have a strong support system in place. Under this bill, school employees would also receive behavioral health training on the signs and best practices. This transforms our schools into safe and nurturing environments for child and youth development.

For these reasons, we support Senate Bill 509. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.

In Community,

Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network