Behavioral health influences and impacts one’s overall health. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “behavioral health is the promotion of mental health, resilience, and well-being; the treatment of mental and substance use disorders; and the support of those who experience and/or are in recovery from these conditions, along with their families and communities.”

Historically, the Coachella Valley has struggled with delivering a continuum of care that meets the behavioral health needs of the community. A robust continuum of care that delivers increased behavioral health access, awareness, availability, and education will reduce the impact of behavioral health conditions that Coachella Valley community members face.

In response to convenings with the Coachella Valley Behavioral Health Collective and outreach efforts to local school district leadership, the Desert Healthcare District released a request for proposals to improve access to behavioral health education and prevention services to children (0-18) and their families in the Coachella Valley. The District sought applicants from organizations focusing on behavioral health access, awareness, availability, and education. After significant review, five organizations were awarded nearly $1.2 million in funding for two-year contracts starting August 1, 2022.

Key Partners:
Desert Sands Unified School District Educational Foundation, Innercare, Martha’s Village & Kitchen, Transgender Health and Wellness Center, and the University of California Riverside served as key partners in this initiative to improve access to behavioral health education and prevention services to children and families. Their collective efforts supported expanded access, education, outreach, and mental health care across the Coachella Valley.

School-Based Behavioral Health & Medication Support – DSUSD implemented psychiatric medication management, post-psychiatric case management, student re-entry wellness plans, behavioral consultation, and district-wide substance misuse education reaching more than 22,000 students. The district’s School Mental Health Nurse and Behavioral Analyst provided direct support, wellness planning, and training for educators and families. 

Telebehavioral Health & Clinical Counseling Services – Innercare expanded access to behavioral health care by hiring new Licensed Clinical Social Workers and increasing telehealth service delivery capacity, providing 1,204 youth with counseling and reducing wait times for care. 

Behavioral Health Support for Homeless Children & Families – Martha’s Village & Kitchen provided on-site education, referrals, and connection to behavioral health resources for 465 unduplicated homeless children and families through shelter-based services, school programs, and community partnerships. 

Youth Mental Health Navigation & Telehealth Services for LGBTQ+ Youth – The Transgender Health and Wellness Center delivered navigation support, telehealth therapy, and outreach to schools and community spaces, serving 76 youth directly and reaching more than 4,500 community members through engagement and education. 

Community Workshops, School Partnerships & Awareness Education – The University of California Riverside implemented educational seminars, school event outreach, mental health screening, and the CAREspace school-based clinic model, reaching over 29,000 children, parents, and community members with mental health information and services.

• Expanding clinical capacity increases timely access to care
  • Additional clinicians and embedded service locations significantly increased youth served and reduced wait times.
• Telehealth removes barriers and increases engagement
  • Virtual services improved access for youth facing transportation, scheduling, or stigma-related barriers and exceeded participation goals.
• School-based services reach students where they are
  • Embedding mental health support in schools enabled large-scale reach, early intervention, and stronger crisis response.
• Community outreach and education reduce stigma and increase awareness
  • Large-scale events, educational workshops, and resource distribution significantly expanded awareness and encouraged help-seeking.
• Workforce training strengthens long-term system capacity
  • Training mental health professionals and school staff expands sustainable service delivery and supports culturally responsive care.​​​​​​​

• Expand access to care through added clinical staff, school-based services, and reduced wait times.

• Use telehealth to remove transportation and scheduling barriers.

• Provide education & outreach through workshops, presentations, and large-scale awareness campaigns.

• Embed services in schools and community settings to reach youth where they already are.

• Build workforce capacity through staff training and trainee programs.

• Strengthen navigation & referrals to connect families quickly to needed services.