About Us
Council on Adolescent Mental Health (COAMH) was born when high school student Hugo Balcazar noticed a trend amongst his classmates. Many were struggling with low-tier issues but lacked individualized support. The school academic counselor on-site was open to help but has several other duties. And even with the limited psychotherapy services available on campus, students were still not fully convinced to seek these resources. What CAMH concluded was that students prefer to seek help from their peers. This is a well known trend and by using this information, CAMH is developing a program that allows teenagers to be trained in conflict mediation and listening skills. Opening alternatives to professional counseling to students can provide a better student-to-supporter ratio, relieve stress on school counseling departments, and give students who are interested in social work/clinical psychology an introduction to the field with the guidance of a licensed healthcare professional.
Mission
Give adolescents on the central coast the opportunity to build their confidence, relational skills and activate their potential to grow emotionally as one united group through peer-support.
Vision
Provide mental health services that uphold high standards in healthcare as well as to educate the local youth population on behavioral health topics to better help themselves and each other.
