Families press lawmakers to fund CA Parent and Youth Helpline
Public News Service
With state lawmakers back from their summer recess, supporters of the California Parent and Youth Helpline are asking lawmakers to make sure the service is fully funded.
Parents Anonymous, which runs the helpline, is asking lawmakers to set aside $15 million for the program in budget trailer bills already under negotiation.
Alvan Robinson, a father of six from Lancaster, said helpline counselors really helped his kids cope after a family member was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident.
“My family started to use the helpline just because we needed some more tools to help us navigate our thoughts, our feelings, our emotions, and it has been monumental for my family to be able to be supported 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Robinson recounted.
People can call or text the helpline at 855-427-2736 or they can live chat via the website CAParentYouthHelpline.org.
The helpline was not included in last year’s budget, so it is currently short-staffed. Data show 47% of callers get frustrated by long wait times and hang up before speaking to a counselor.
Antonia Rios is a mother of seven from Pomona. Her son experienced suicidal thoughts at age 11 and spent three days in the hospital. Helpline counselors talked him through the crisis.
“It’s not just a life-saving helpline. It is a safer space where an individual can call in and get the support they need without being judged, criticized, belittled, or dismissed,” Rios emphasized.
A study commissioned by the nonprofit found 85% of parents had a more positive or solution-focused outlook after contacting the helpline.