Last Monday a team of policymakers from the State of California toured four school districts in Trinity County and had an eye-opening experience of the challenges and grit that locals face to support the students of Trinity County.

Two teams consisting of TCOE (Trinity County Office of Education) and CYBHI (Children and Youth behavioral Health Initiative) representatives departed from Weaverville at 7:30am. The first leg of the tour was the longest commute the team made that day to Southern Trinity Joint Unified School District in Mad River. Returning North, the teams made their way to Mountain Valley Unified School District before returning to Weaverville for a quick lunch break at the TCOE office.

Reenergized and ready to go, the two teams made their way to Junction City Elementary School before they visited their final destination - Burnt Ranch Elementary School.

The eleven hours spent on the road and on foot walking the school sites provided an invaluable first-hand understanding of the geography, and more importantly, the challenges that students, families and teachers face daily to support the educational and health systems within Trinity County.

The Children and Youth Behavioral Initiative is a 4.6 billion dollar initiative that is transforming the way California supports children, youth and families. Representatives from the state spanned multiple departments such as the department of public health, Health Care Access and Information, Health Care Services and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative.

Built on a foundation of equity and accessibility, the CYBHI works to re-imagine a more integrated, youth-centered system that meets the needs of all young people, particularly those who face the greatest systemic barriers to wellness. The initiative’s goal is to enable California kids to find support for their mental health and substance use needs where, when and in the way they need it most.

The following day, the teams reconvened as part of a special Safe Schools Collaborative meeting to debrief the prior day’s exchanges and also to have a broader conversation about logistics, support and partner agencies that play a role in children’s behavioral health.

“We were thrilled that the team reached out to us to learn more about rural California,” said Trinity County Superintendent Fabio Robles, “we hope that these relationships can inform and improve the delivery of state resources and support not just for Trinity County, but also for rural school districts across California.”