Mental Health Youth Services (MHYS) Infographics

Infographic 1: Who are the Youth (and Vulnerable Youth) in California?

• Basic demographic information on California youth
• Four groups are highlighted:
  • youth in general
  • youth considered impoverished according to the California Poverty Measure
  • youth in the child welfare systems
  • youth in the juvenile justice system

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Infographic 2: What are the needs of youth in California?

• Overall status of mental health among California children and youth
• Social determinants of health that influence mental well-being of youth
• Focus on youth at greater risk for developing mental health conditions:
  • Children with special health care needs
  • Homeless and unaccompanied youth
  • Youth in the juvenile justice system
  • Youth in the child welfare system

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Infographic 3: How do most California youth receive physical and mental health services?
Part I

• Information on Medi-Cal and Children’s Health Program (CHIP)
• Medi-Cal/CHIP youth enrollment, pathways, and delivery systems
• Mental health aspect of Medi-Cal (Medi-Cal For Kids & Teens)
• Overview of Medi-Cal mental health services:
  • specialty mental health services (SMHS)
  • non- specialty mental health services (NSMHS)
  • medically necessary criteria (as of 2023)

Part II

• Snapshot of youth enrolled in Medi-Cal and CHIP (by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and written language)
• Snapshot of youth enrolled in Medi-Cal’s specialty mental health services (SMHS)

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Infographic 4: Are California youth utilizing the physical and mental health care entitled to them?
Part I

• Adequacy of youth health care in meeting physical and mental health needs
• California ranking compared to other states in mental health measures
• Medi-Cal performance in child core set quality measures (primary, preventive, and behavioral/mental health)

Part II

• General youth utilization of Medi-Cal specialty and non-specialty mental health services (stratified by sex, age, and race/ethnicity)
• Foster youth utilization of Medi-Cal mental health services (stratified by sex, age, and race/ethnicity)

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Infographic 5: Are there racial disparities in youth health and health care utilization?

• Highlights racial/ethnic disparities among youth regarding:
  • Poverty status
  • Family dynamics and economics
  • Academic performance
  • Involvement with child welfare and juvenile justice
  • Key physical and behavioral health indicators

See text version of this infographic