Youth Mental Health Summit Brings Together California Leaders & Young Voices for Conversation on the Youth Wellbeing Challenge

Coalition to Empower our Future Hosts a Mental Health Summit in Sacramento to Examine the Complex Factors; Discuss the Need for Comprehensive Solutions

For Immediate Release:
March 12, 2026
Contact: [email protected]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (March 12, 2026) — Today, the Coalition to Empower our Future (CEF), a growing partnership focused on understanding the many contributing factors surrounding youth mental health and wellbeing, hosted a summit in Sacramento featuring a group of local mental health experts, community leaders and youth voices. The half-day event featured a diverse set of voices discussing the complex factors driving youth mental health challenges and the need for comprehensive solutions.

The event featured a fireside chat with CEF Board Member and former Montana Governor Steve Bullock and former California Senate President and Mayor of Sacramento Darrell Steinberg. It then went into a set of panels with mental health advocates, youth leaders and California community leaders that focused on the complex challenges surrounding youth wellbeing and the kinds of solutions that can drive progress.

“The discussions in Sacramento exemplify both the pressing nature of this challenge and the incredible energy behind solving it,” said Glen Weiner, executive director of CEF. “Hearing from such a wide range of voices emphasizes how complex and layered this challenge can be, and how a narrow approach to solutions in this field risks leaving many young folks behind. Our solutions need to meet a challenge this nuanced with the thoughtfulness it deserves.”

Speakers attending the panels included representatives from local and national organizations, student advocates and other community leaders, including:

  • Darrell Steinberg, former president of the California State Senate, former mayor of Sacramento and founder of the Steinberg Institute
  • Honorable Steve Bullock, former governor of Montana and board member of Coalition to Empower our Future
  • Lishaun Francis, senior director, Behavioral Health, Children Now
  • Celeste Walley, permanency and youth engagement advisor, CA Alliance’s Catalyst Center
  • Jevon Wilkes, executive director, California Coalition for Youth
  • Roman Musso, founder, Path to Positivity
  • Peter McGinnes, youth advocate and council member, Coalition for Student Wellbeing
  • Karen Larsen, chief executive officer, Steinberg Institute
  • Marlon Morgan, chief executive officer, Wellness Together
  • Kristina Halmai, director of service innovation, YMCA of San Diego County

“There is no more unifying or important issue than the happiness and health of our kids, and today’s event demonstrates the value of thoughtful, inclusive conversations as we all tackle this challenge,” said Steve Bullock, former governor of Montana and CEF board member. “It’s heartening to hear from the great minds that work on mental health daily, and it’s a timely reminder that this challenge deserves much more than a one-size-fits-all approach. As parents, as community members and as advocates, we all need to come together to ensure we aren’t leaving any opportunity on the table.”

Darrell Steinberg, former president of the California State Senate, former mayor of Sacramento and founder of the Steinberg Institute, who spoke on a panel with Governor Bullock noted, “Working on mental health advocacy for a large part of my career has opened my eyes to the complexity of this challenge, especially in young people. Our kids deserve a wide range of resources and services to make sure they have the tools to address their mental wellbeing into adulthood. Conversations like these are critical to building the comprehensive solutions our young people need and deserve.”

Lishaun Francis, senior director of behavioral health, Children Now, said, “Supporting young people as they navigate mental health challenges is essential to helping them reach their full potential. Ensuring young people and their families have access to the support and resources they need requires collaboration and partnership. Events like today’s bring together leaders, advocates, and youth voices to share ideas, spark solutions, and move us closer to a future where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.”

Jevon Wilkes, executive director, California Coalition for Youth, noted, “Yesterday our children needed us, and today we must act for their mind, body and spirit for the brightest future under courageous, brave, loving and honest leaders.”

“Problems that affect all of us require solutions from all of us,” said Marlon Morgan, founder and CEO of Wellness Together. “The event allowed us to connect on a human level, building understanding and trust, so we are better prepared to tackle our most pressing issue as a society – the mental health of our youth.”

This event is the latest in a series of CEF regional events focused on engaging local and regional communities on the importance of comprehensive solutions to youth wellbeing.

About the Coalition to Empower our Future

Coalition to Empower our Future is a newly formed organization bringing together a range of voices to fully inform solutions that empower youth, parents, communities, and society. The Coalition to Empower our Future supports solutions that are inclusive of the full spectrum of factors impacting youth mental health. Former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, former U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo, and Dr. Caroline Carney, a board-certified psychiatrist and internist, serve on the board of directors of the Coalition to Empower our Future.

To learn more, visit empowerourfuturecoalition.com or follow Coalition to Empower our Future on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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