Learning is mental work

Mental health challenges can make it harder for students to learn, attend school, and thrive.

Help is more available than it has ever been before. This post explains where California students and families can turn, then digs into some of the reasons why it can get complicated.

What students need to know

Call 988

If you feel like you’re in a crisis, and it feels urgent or overwhelming, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org. It’s immediate and confidential. You don’t need to be suicidal to use it. You can also call the number printed on the back of your student ID.

If it doesn't feel like an emergency but you want to talk to someone for free, confidential emotional support, call or text the Warm Line at (833) 317-HOPE (4673). It’s a peer-run source of free, confidential emotional support for Californians.

If you are over 13 and prefer something ongoing and private, install Soluna on your phone. Use the app to connect with free coaching and chat-based support for young people (ages 13–25). It’s intended as a starting point for teens who don’t want to involve adults right away.

What parents and caregivers need to know

Many students come to school carrying burdens that affect their ability to learn. The death of a loved one, abuse, neglect, violence, family instability, or a parent’s substance abuse problem can have lasting effects on a child’s well-being. Researchers refer to these experiences collectively as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

For kids under 13, ongoing help to cope with these experiences is available for free with the involvement of a parent or caregiver through Brightlife Kids, a collection of connected services.

This short video explains:

This seems complicated. Why?

The challenge is that programs connected to mental health are funded and operated as part of the medical care system, not the education system. It makes sense to help young people where they are, in schools, but schools weren’t designed for mental health.

To provide health services in schools, separate systems have had to find ways to work together. This kind of collaboration can be challenging, but it’s not unique. It resembles the operational challenges of community schools, which house various services beyond education.

California has gradually linked many of its public mental health programs under the umbrella name CalHOPE. These services are supported by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and, in some cases, by federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Several education-focused programs are part of this effort. Collectively known as CalHOPE Schools, they provide training, resources, and support to help schools respond to student mental health needs and connect students and families with assistance.

The name “CalHOPE Schools” can be confusing, because it sounds like a system of schools, but it isn’t. It’s a set of programs and services operated in schools or through school systems. The main theme connecting these services is mental health.

What school community leaders need to know

California has created several free programs to help educators, school staff, and community leaders recognize when students are struggling — and connect them with support.

Recognize, Respond, Connect

California law now requires schools serving grades 7–12 to train staff to recognize and refer students experiencing behavioral health concerns. By July 1, 2029, all teachers (certificated staff) and at least 45 percent of classified staff must receive training about it.

To meet this requirement, an attractive option is a free 50-minute online training called Recognize, Respond, Connect. The course helps educators understand how trauma and other adversities can affect learning, behavior, and relationships. It provides practical guidance on how to recognize signs of distress, respond with empathy, and connect students with appropriate support services.

The training was developed through a partnership that includes the California Department of Education, the Office of School Health, the UC ACEs Aware Network, the California Association of School Psychologists, and other experts.

ACEs Aware

The ACEs Aware initiative, led by the Office of the California Surgeon General, aims to increase public understanding of childhood adversity and toxic stress. It’s a training program aimed to help audiences beyond the classroom, such as PTAs or other community organizations.

The program explains how difficult experiences during childhood can affect both mental and physical health. It also provides information for educators, families, and health professionals about ways to reduce the long-term effects of stress and help children thrive.

Safe Spaces

Another free online course, also from the state office of the Surgeon General, aims to go deeper. At six hours in length, Safe Spaces is offered as a certificate-bearing course (6 units) for educators, though it’s open to anyone. The goal of the course, which debuted in 2023, is to help teachers and administrators create learning environments where students feel safe, understood, and ready to learn.

Peer counseling

Conflict in schools can trigger mental health crises. In 2026, EdSource highlighted the creative efforts of Antioch High School, which developed a pioneering peer program to defuse conflict and support students struggling with substance abuse. The 17-minute podcast episode makes a compelling case for every high school to strongly consider developing a sustainable peer-driven option.

Why this matters

Learning is mental work. When students are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or other challenges, learning becomes harder. Sometimes kids act out in ways that are hard to manage and distract others from the work of learning. Schools cannot solve every mental health challenge, but they are often the place where problems first become visible and where students and families can be connected with help.

Thank you to Justine Fischer, former president of the California State PTA, for advice and direction with this post. Any errors are mine.