The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and Youth Creating Change are partnering to raise awareness and reduce stigma around the mental health and wellbeing of boys and young men
Sacramento, Calif. – As California continues to ensure access to support boys and young men who are facing serious mental health crises, today the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) is announcing a new initiative to further this effort.
In partnership with the nonprofit organization Youth Creating Change, the state is supporting a media challenge for youth ages 12 to 25 years old to encourage young people to ask for help and support their peers, as part of this year’s Directing Change Film Contest.
In Movember’s recent study of men ages16 to 25, 71% reported feeling isolated from others. For many, distress is real but it can be challenging to ask for help. Ensuring access to support, reducing stigma, and offering early intervention are essential.
“In this ever-evolving digital era, too many of our young boys and men feel disconnected, unseen, and alone in their mental health struggles,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “We all share a responsibility to normalize asking for help and support – on and offline. I am proud that California is taking the lead to empower the next generation and reshape our culture for the better
How to Participate
Youth are encouraged to create a 60-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) for the Directing Change Film Contest’s Boys and Young Men Media Challenge. These submissions will be judged in a separate category and include cash prizes for first, second and third place. Submissions are due March 1, 2026.
In their PSAs, young people are encouraged to:
- Talk openly about mental health or their own experiences
- Support themselves and each other
- Build emotional strength and healthy coping skills
- Challenge cultural perceptions and societal norms that may discourage asking for help
- Encourage intergenerational conversations about traditional gender roles and mental health
- Reduce loneliness by increasing opportunities for connection and community through peers and mentorship.
Who Can Enter
The contest is free to participate and is open to students in middle and high school, and young adults through age 25 in California. Each group of youth will need an advisor to help with their submission. The Youth Creating Change team is available to help youth advisors get started by talking about the film contest or delivering the lesson around the theme of the contest. For more information on eligibility criteria and how to join this challenge, visit The Directing Change website.
Why It Matters
“Culture shapes how we see the world, how we cope, and how we heal. For some youth, particularly boys and young men, it hasn’t always felt safe to talk about mental health. Some haven’t had spaces where they can open up about how culture, identity, and masculinity shape their experiences, or share honest feelings of loneliness, struggle, or hope. The Directing Change Program’s Through the Lens of Culture category creates that space. It’s a chance for youth to tell their own stories to break stigma, celebrate resilience, and remind us that even when our journeys look different, we’re all connected in our need for understanding and support. Youth Creating Change’s Young Men Media Challenge shines a light on boys’ and young men’s mental health and encourages a new kind of conversation — one grounded in courage, care, and creativity. It’s about showing that strength isn’t about staying silent, but about reaching out, lifting each other up, and imagining what healing can look like together.” Shanti Bond-Martinez, Youth Creating Change, Senior Program Manager.
Art can be a powerful tool that young men can utilize to connect with their emotions and communicate their feelings to others. I have seen firsthand that it can be tough for young men to vocalize their struggles with others, so using art as a form of communication can be healing and effective. Short films such as the ones we expect to see as a result of this challenge can spark conversations about what masculinity looks like today, normalize mental health struggles, and ways that men can reach out and access resources.” Shailen Dawkins, Youth Creating Change, Program Coordinator.
“Advocating for young men to talk about mental health is crucial in our society because it is still heavily stigmatized. Being able to express issues that others may also be experiencing is not a weakness, but a strength that no one should be told to suppress.” Jerome Baclayon, Youth Creating Change Youth Council Member.
Path and Purpose
In July, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to address a growing issue — the alarming rise in suicides and disconnection among California’s young men and boys. The order directs a coordinated statewide response to improve mental health outcomes, reduce stigma, and expand access to meaningful education, work, and mentorship opportunities. The full order can be found here.
The executive order helps address this crisis, directing state agencies to create a new focus on this issue and creating new pathways to help reconnect men and boys with the support, assistance, and help they need.
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