FRESNO COUNTY – Recognizing that the upcoming holiday break and winter season can take a toll on mental health, Fresno County’s top education official wants families to know free mental health support is available through the All 4 Youth program.
The Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS) highlighted the services available through the All 4 Youth program in a press release on Dec. 3. Any family in Fresno County can access the program — which serves children and young adults up to 25 years old —regardless of school affiliation, insurance or income.
“Help is just one phone call away,” Superintendent of Schools Michele Cantwell-Copher said in the press release. “We want every parent and caregiver to know that professional care is available now and it’s free. If your child is struggling emotionally, please reach out. You don’t have to navigate this alone.”
The press release said that although holidays can be joyful, they can also come with intensified anxiety, depression and isolation for many students. Disrupted routines and the lack of school structures, as well as grief during the holidays and seasonal weather changes, can impact emotional well-being.
“Winter can be an especially challenging time for our students,” Cantwell-Copher said. “They may be dealing with family stress, the loss of a loved one or just the weight of feeling alone or overwhelmed. All 4 Youth is here to ensure no child has to face those feelings without support.”
All 4 Youth connects young people to trained mental health clinicians and offers crisis support, referral and care coordination, individual and group counseling and mental health assessments. Services are available in homes, at schools, in public settings or at a dozen wellness centers throughout the county.
Wellness centers offer mental health screenings and referrals, individual and group wellness sessions and parent outreach and training, as well as food, housing and clothing assistance, college and career support, help with insurance, DMV ID applications and more.
“At our wellness centers, families can be connected to every kind of support, not just mental health services,” Cantwell-Copher said. “Whether it’s help with basic needs like food and clothing or assistance with college applications, insurance forms or job searches, we’re here for the whole student and the whole family.”
The program has 177 clinicians and support personnel, according to the press release. It uses a three-tiered model of care that ranges from preventive education to intensive mental health services.
All 4 Youth services are available year-round, including during school breaks.
Of the program’s 12 wellness centers, two are located in Clovis, four are in Fresno and the remainder are in the county’s rural communities. Rural wellness centers are located in Riverdale, Fowler, San Joaquin, Sanger and Raisin City. The All 4 Youth program also has a hub located in Selma.
To access services, families can call 559-443-4800.