Advocates decry axing of CA LGBTQ youth mental health campaign

  • by Matthew S. Bajko, Assistant Editor
  • Friday January 17, 2025
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A slide from Change Craft shows trends of reported mental health issues among LGBTQ youth. Image: From Change Craft website
A slide from Change Craft shows trends of reported mental health issues among LGBTQ youth. Image: From Change Craft website

LGBTQ advocates are criticizing California health officials for the sudden cancellation of an LGBTQ youth mental health initiative just as their alarms are growing about the negative impacts queer young people may face from the second Trump administration. There are an estimated 1,160,000 LGBTQ youth in the Golden State between the ages of 13 and 25, with numerous studies showing they are at higher risk for anxiety, depression, and suicide compared to their heterosexual peers.

To address and reduce the unique stigmas faced by LGBTQ+ youth, state health officials had awarded a $3 million-plus contract to an LGBTQ-owned consulting firm last year to develop a campaign to roll out statewide. It was expected to debut this spring in cities across California.

But according to an email sent out January 15 by the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, the California Department of Public Health canceled the LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Campaign "without explanation." It had been funded by the state agency's Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative known as CYBHI for short.

Via the state health agency's Office of Health Equity, communications consultancy firm Change Craft had been awarded the contract to develop a tailored education and outreach campaign to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health for those under the age of 25, according to a webpage it created about the initiative. It also recruited participants for an advisory panel to help it shape the campaign.

"LGBTQ+ youth are among the most impacted and least served of youth experiencing mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges," stated the firm. "The goal of this targeted effort is to address the unique stigma faced by LGBTQ+ youth while also raising behavioral health literacy and increasing help-seeking behaviors to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth."

Yet, according to the statewide network of LGBTQ service providers, state health officials unexpectedly axed the initiative this month and canceled the contract with Change Craft.

"This decision comes as a huge surprise, given California's long-standing leadership in championing LGBTQ+ mental health initiatives. Alarmingly, this development coincides with the transition to a new administration next week, which has posed direct threats to this vulnerable population," stated the email shared by Dannie Ceseña, the network's first Two-Spirit and Native director, with its member groups and others across the state.

Responding to the Bay Area Reporter's inquiry into the matter, the state health department forwarded a letter that was sent January 16 to Change Craft and community groups providing additional information about the decision to end the mental health campaign. It was written by Dr. Sohil Sud, CYBHI director within the California Health & Human Services Agency, and incoming California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Erica Pan.

"While there was initial interest in creating an additional standalone LGBTQ+ communications campaign, as development proceeded, it became increasingly apparent that a potential (fourth) CYBHI campaign would be substantially limited in reach and duration," wrote Sud and Pan. "This fourth campaign (funded at $3+ million) has yet to be finalized or produced and would ultimately reach few markets for a short duration."

The health officials added that it was determined that "more impactful and broader support for the LGBTQ+ community is achieved by leveraging the research and findings developed and incorporating them within the existing Take Space to Pause campaign. The $21+ million statewide Take Space to Pause campaign launched in December 2024 and continues through early 2026."

That campaign aims to teach young people how to deal with various stressors in their life, according to its website.

The state health department did not make anyone available for an interview with the B.A.R. to discuss the cancellation of the contract. It initially had informed Change Craft co-founders and husbands Brandon and Calvin Tate in a curt letter dated January 13 that it was being given 30-day advance written notification of its contract being canceled "without cause" effective as of February 13. The Southern California-based firm was told it should do no more work on it "and no additional expenses should be incurred."

In a statement to the B.A.R. Friday, Brandon Tate expressed his firm's hope that the state health department will reverse course, especially in light of the incoming Trump administration.

"When Governor Newsom funded the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative a few years back, I don't think he ever envisioned keeping out LGBTQ+ youth," stated Tate, his firm's president and chief communications strategist. "If it were easy to reach queer youth through other efforts, we wouldn't see the disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide that we see for LGBTQ+ youth. That's why for this topic in particular, we need a dedicated effort, one built for and by the LGBTQ+ community as this initiative has been."

In light of Republican President-elect Donald Trump being sworn into a second term Monday, Tate stressed, "our queer youth need California to lead now more than ever so we hope the state will reconsider this decision and reaffirm its commitment to LGBTQ+ youth."

Serving on the campaign's advisory panel was Ariela Cuellar, who is queer and the LGBTQ providers network's senior communications specialist. The 29-year-old grew up in Vallejo and now lives in Long Beach.

In a phone interview, she told the B.A.R. she was "super disappointed" to learn from Tate about the cancellation of the campaign. In reading the department's explanation behind the decision, Cuellar said it "rubbed me the wrong way" and flagged its lack of specifics about how it was working to tailor specific messages for LGBTQ youth as had been the focus of the mental health initiative.

"It removed the intentionality that the project had," said Cuellar, noting that the website for the Take Space to Pause campaign doesn't list any resources specific for LGBTQ youth, such as contact information for the Trevor Project.

"CDPH still claims it is directing funding to support LGBTQ youth but didn't really state how. It is very disappointing overall," said Cuellar.

In their letter to the Tates sent Thursday, Sud and Pan noted that the Take Space to Pause campaign was in addition to the more than $11 million that the state health department has awarded to 12 community-based organizations across the state to fund efforts targeted at the LGBTQ+ community for "reducing stigma surrounding youth mental health challenges."

Dr. Erica Pan, who co-signed a letter addressing the Change Craft contract cancellation, is set to take over the state Department of Public Health. Photo: Courtesy CADPH  

Pan set to lead CADPH
The dispute over the mental health initiative comes as Pan is set to officially become the next director and state public health officer of the statewide health department on February 1. She is replacing Dr. Tomás Aragón, who previously announced his retirement and will step down January 31.

A sample letter the LGBTQ provider network crafted calls on Pan and other state health officials, such as California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson, to reinstate the LGBTQ youth mental health campaign in order to "affirm California's leadership and dedication to equity, inclusion, and the health of all its residents at a time when we need California to lead the way. With the Trump administration taking office soon, California must restore its commitment to LGBTQ+ youth and reinstate this important campaign."

It asked the interested parties to contact their local Assembly and state Senate members and "advocate for the continuation" of the initiative targeting LGBTQ youth.

"It is imperative that we advocate for and support our LGBTQ+ youth, who are in desperate need of this program," stressed the network.

Funding had been restored
The network's sample letter highlighted how the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus had restored the funding for the mental health youth initiative in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 state budget. As the affinity group for out lawmakers had noted on its website, a key budget priority for it last year was rejecting the proposed cuts in Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed May budget revise "to ensure LGBTQ+ preventive mental health programs are prioritized including local LGBTQ organizations and the statewide LGBTQ campaign, and replace proposed cuts with a more equitable level of funding reduction."

Gay Assemblymember Chris Ward (D- San Diego), chair of the LGBTQ caucus, harshly criticized the decision by state health leaders to rescind the contract for the campaign in a statement provided to the B.A.R.

"The LGBTQ Caucus is very concerned that the California Department of Public Health canceled the only LGBTQ+-focused mental health campaign that our Caucus was able to secure funding for in last year's budget. LGBTQ+ youth face the highest rates of mental health concerns amongst all youth, so for the department to cancel this initiative aimed at supporting the most impacted youth is beyond us," stated Ward. "We have been working diligently to get answers on the department's misguided and dangerous decision and hope we can resolve this issue swiftly in order to support the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth."

In a letter dated January 15 that statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality California sent to Pan and Johnson, Executive Director Tony Hoang expressed his "concern and disappointment" about hearing that the contract for the initiative had been canceled. Hoang, a gay man, called for the funding to be restored.

"Reinstating this campaign is an important opportunity to reaffirm California's commitment to LGBTQ+ young people at a time when the community is facing dire threats," noted Hoang.

With the funding for the LGBTQ youth mental health campaign included in the final budget adopted last summer by state leaders, Change Craft began work on the initiative last July. It convened the advisory group, which included LGBTQ youth along with service provider representatives, and conducted focus groups and surveys on the issue.

"The campaign name chosen by LGBTQ+ youth was 'THIS IS ME,' which spoke deeply to the unique way that LGBTQ+ youth experience stigma around their identity and mental health challenges in a way that differs from other youth. Helping LGBTQ+ youth navigate identity acceptance is lifesaving!" per the LGBTQ provider network's sample letter. "The youth also chose the campaign concept 'Perfect Isn't Real' because unrealistic perceptions of perfection isn't the goal — being real about their mental health journey as a LGBTQ+ teen is."

Change Craft was reportedly planning to launch the campaign in May followed by activations at various Pride events throughout this year. Youth influencers had been engaged to draw attention to it, and dozens of local partners had been approached to assist with hosting live events in pilot sites across the state.

"The LGBTQ+ community celebrated this initiative as a significant commitment from the state to support their mental health and well-being. Canceling the campaign undermines trust between the community and CDPH," contended the provider network in its sample letter.

It also criticized health officials for the negative impact their decision is having on Change Craft, a certified LGBTQ-owned small business.

"This cancellation jeopardizes these investments and puts dedicated employees — who are LGBTQ+ themselves — at risk. Furthermore for the state to operate in this way will strike fear for other small businesses aiming to do business with the state," contended the network's letter.

In the letter Sud and Pan sent to Change Craft and shared with LGBTQ community groups, they stressed that the state health agency "remains steadfast in its goal of reducing disparities, and there will remain dedicated funding to support LGBTQ+ youth within this effort."


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