Sacramento County Children's Coalition - Behavioral Health Services for Youth

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to fund a project that addresses the mental health of children and youth in Sacramento County.

Behavioral health, commonly referred to as mental health, is a critical yet often stigmatized aspect of a child or youth’s overall well-being. Developing and maintaining healthy coping skills, social skills, and emotional and behavioral regulation is essential to mental health. When children and youth face mental health challenges, timely and effective support is vital; however, mental health services in Sacramento County remain severely limited across all ages and populations.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events occurring before the age of 18 that can produce toxic stress, leading to long-term health and social challenges. Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), in contrast, help mitigate the effects of ACEs and promote healthy childhood development. ACEs are prevalent across all communities in Sacramento County, affecting approximately 33 percent of children and youth (2022 Children’s Report Card).

When families have access to services and support that strengthen and uplift children and youth, those children thrive and are better able to participate in their communities. The Coalition is seeking projects, strategies, and support systems aimed at improving behavioral and mental health outcomes for children and youth. We encourage innovative proposals that either focus on specific populations or provide broader, community-wide support.

Areas of Interest for the Coalition include (but are not limited to):

1. Direct mental health services, support systems, and counseling for children and youth, including—but not limited to—the general population, children and youth involved in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems, those exploited through human trafficking or substance use, and homeless children and youth.
   1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. AND/OR
2. Counseling and support for children and youth at risk for truancy, dropping out of school or other barriers to completing their education.
   1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. AND/OR
3. Positive community-based programs that provide Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and incorporate a strong mental and behavioral health support component.

The Sacramento County Children’s Coalition seeks demonstrated evidence of strong partnerships with organizations and agencies across Sacramento County, or a clear commitment and articulated plan to establish and strengthen such partnerships.

This project will be funded with Children's Trust Fund dollars.

The Sacramento County Children's Coalition - Children's Trust Fund

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) was created by California State legislation (Assembly Bill 2994), enacted in 1983, to provide funding for child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention programs operated by private non-profit organizations or public institutions of higher education with recognized expertise related to child well-being. Funding for the CTF is derived primarily from a portion of the fees charged for certified copies of birth certificates in Sacramento County. The CTF may be augmented by grants, gifts, and bequests from private sources, tax appeals, and/or funds appropriated to Sacramento County for the CTF by the California State Legislature.

County Boards of Supervisors may designate a local voluntary commission, board, or council to carry out the purposes of the legislation establishing the CTF. Accordingly, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors appointed the Children’s Coalition (Coalition), an advisory board composed of community volunteers, as the body responsible for administering the CTF and conducting its competitive bid/selection processes. The Sacramento County Department of Child, Family and Adult Services is the fiscal agent for the Children's Coalition; therefore, awards will result in contracts with Sacramento County.

The Coalition is made up of a broad range of individuals who intersect with various children’s systems in Sacramento County, such as education, physical and mental health, child advocacy, childcare, and social services.

In August 2025, the Coalition held its annual member retreat, during which the Coalition identified advocacy priorities for 2025–2026 based on insights gained from interactions and information gathering over the past two years. The Coalition recognizes that true child abuse prevention and early intervention start with addressing the social determinants that ensure positive mental health, safety in the home and education support.