#  EMPOWER Youth Implementation Pilot in California Schools 

 



An ongoing project (2026-Present).

### The Aim of the Study:

This project tests EMPOWER Youth in California schools with wellness coaches trained by **Wellness Together**. It assesses feasibility and acceptability of delivery by trained wellness coaches, and evaluates effectiveness for youth ages 10-19 in school settings.

### The Background:

More than 20% of American adolescents experience a mental health disorder, yet the majority go without treatment. Schools represent a high-reach setting for closing this gap, connecting with students regardless of family income or proximity to a clinic. California's large and diverse student population, many of whom face significant barriers to clinic-based care, makes school-embedded programming a promising pathway to reaching adolescents at scale.

### The Project Plan:

The HMS team partnered with **Wellness Together**, a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit leading statewide school wellness initiatives in collaboration with the **California Department of Education** and major health systems. Wellness coaches will deliver EMPOWER Youth across two schools beginning in fall 2026, followed by a mixed-methods evaluation.

### Supporters and Project Duration:

The development of the EMPOWER Youth Intervention was funded by the Manton Foundation. Implementation is supported by Wellness Together and Blue Cross Blue Shield of California.

### Next Steps:

Wellness coaches across two schools will be trained in summer 2026; delivery begins in fall 2026.

### Publications: 

- March 2026: [The design of a scalable intervention for adolescents with internalizing problems](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pguI3CGMj8FsFLd_ZXNEE7rFBqJP6lPH/view?usp=sharing)
- 2025: [Addressing the Adolescent Mental Health-Care Gap in the United States](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u8jP-2D9DYYuq2QXzjTjxQT25iiFFvM2/view?usp=sharing)