CASSY Executive Director Marico Sayoc had the opportunity to discuss youth mental health on Nonprofit Report by mOppenheim.org. She joined David Mineta, President and CEO of Momentum for Health.

She explained that CASSY was founded in 2009 to address the reality that “unmet mental health needs have a strong impact on a student’s academic performance and their social & emotional development.”

CASSY’s in-school model breaks down barriers to mental health care: “We have shown students are far more likely to seek counseling when counseling is on their campus, when they see their therapist on a regular basis, and you weave mental health support into a daily curriculum similar…to P.E.” CASSY’s services are accessible, affordable (free of charge to students and their families), and knit into the fabric of local schools. Sayoc explained, “Our therapists are on campus just like staff and understand the community & the culture within each school.” From preschools to high schools in San Mateo and Santa Clara county, CASSY tailors its age-appropriate services to the needs of each school community, providing everything from resources to crisis support to group sessions to one-on-one counseling for students. CASSY therapists “provide a triage,” handling those student needs that are appropriate for school-based counseling and seeking appropriate care outside of the school environment for those that are not. “We’re that warm hand-off,” Sayoc added.

Watch the full interview on Nonprofit Report here: