Growing California’s Behavioral Health Workforce
August 21, 2026 – California is changing how children and young people get behavioral health support across the state, and Certified Wellness Coaches are part of that shift.
Through the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, the state has invested more than $4 billion to expand access to behavioral health care, strengthen support in schools and communities, and grow the workforce serving young people.
And that workforce is growing. More than 70,000 people have been supported along behavioral health workforce pathways, including close to 5,000 Certified Wellness Coaches. And the workforce is growing!
The initiative is reaching young people in other ways, too. Digital behavioral health services have supported more than 500,000 children, youth, and families across all 58 California counties.
Want to see the bigger picture?
The CYBHI Legacy Report: Advancing Behavioral Health — From Moment to Movement takes a closer look at what California has built so far, including new pathways to care, youth-designed tools, expanded services, and a growing behavioral health workforce.
See how Certified Wellness Coaches fit into California’s broader effort to support young people and where that work is headed next.
