South San Francisco, CA October 25, 2019 Submitted by Matt Skryja, Kaiser Permanente
Mental Health California Presents
Youth Listening Sessions Kickoff Event
Sessions to spotlight voices of youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems
Mental Health California in partnership with Kaiser Permanente will present a kickoff event to launch a series of Youth Listening Sessions across Northern California on Monday, October 28. The Youth Listening Sessions will be ideation-centric, blending traditional listening techniques with ideation, art, creativity, and safe space carve-outs for the youth to engage in honest dialogue and self-expression.
The Youth Listening Sessions will spotlight the voices of youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems to gain their perspectives and ensure they are heard, with outcomes influencing programs that serve their needs. Youth will be invited to share their experiences, states of health, and well-being in ways that can lead to positive change. Regional sessions will be held in Sacramento on January 16, 2020, Oakland on January 23, 2020, and Fresno on January 30, 2020.
As Kaiser Permanente prepares to bolster services to this population to mitigate the negative impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), it seeks to gain greater insights by hearing directly from the youth. This will serve as a guide for service providers who have a vested interest in delivering trauma-informed services to individuals and communities impacted by trauma. This project aligns with Kaiser Permanente’s focus on ACES and strategies aimed at reducing gun violence. It further supports Kaiser Permanente’s efforts around mental health and wellness.
The kickoff event will include an overview of the Youth Listening Sessions series and presentations on the status of California’s foster care and juvenile justice systems, as well as a discussion on the impacts of trauma on system involved youth:
Event: Youth Listening Sessions Kickoff Event
Date: Monday, October 28, 2019
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Location: The California Endowment
Eastmont Room, 2nd Floor
2000 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94612
For inquiries, please contact Kristene Smith at (916) 698-1880 or kn@mentalhealthca.org.