
Shortly after Election Day, hundreds of teenagers from across California converged at the state capitol in Sacramento to lobby for expanded resources to improve youth mental health. The fifth annual Youth Advocacy Day was organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) California, with support from BlueSky, Blue Shield of California's youth mental health initiative. Following a rally on the steps of the capitol, students visited with lawmakers for robust conversations about their own mental health experiences and accessing mental health resources.
“As young people, we have important stories to tell, and legislators listen when we advocate for ourselves and people like us,” said Youth Advocacy Day participant Claire Marie Cuenca, a high school junior from the Central Valley and NAMI On Campus member. “Hope is still alive, and we’re going to keep on talking and advocating for our lives.”

Since the 1970’s, NAMI California has been working to change the way mental illness is viewed through advocacy days like this one and their student-run On Campus clubs, which aim to raise awareness and reduce stigma through peer-led activities at schools across the state.
The stakes are high. According to a Harris poll conducted by Blue Shield of California, 87% of youth report experiencing mental health challenges regularly — a stark reminder of the urgency to act. The BlueSky initiative is addressing this crisis by providing resources for school-based counseling, training adults to recognize and support youth mental health challenges, and funding programs that help students build resilience.
Jessica Cruz, CEO of NAMI California, highlighted the value of youth advocacy: “It’s important to sit down with lawmakers and make these personal connections. Youth are experts in their own experiences, and they’re sharing those experiences with the politicians who can actually make changes. By empowering youth to connect with lawmakers, we’re fostering a generation that can create meaningful change for mental health.”


Paula Ambrose, the BlueSky lead at Blue Shield of California, echoed Cruz’s sentiments: “NAMI is here with their young people, who are indeed leading the way and letting the legislators know what’s important to their mental health and well-being. We appreciate NAMI for centering youth voices.”
Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky initiative supports organizations like NAMI California to continue paving the way for a more supportive and equitable mental health care system for California’s youth. A key focus of BlueSky is equity, ensuring that youth of color — who often face additional barriers to mental health care — have access to inclusive and culturally affirming resources.
“We need to dampen the difficulty of talking about the hard subjects,” said Cuenca. “If we normalize talking about things in a healthy manner, we can reduce that stigma.”
To learn more, visit BlueSky from Blue Shield of California and NAMI California.