For more info about partnership and sponsorship opportunities, please contact us.
A Big Thank You To Our Program Year 2025-26 Program Partners and Funders
Blue Shield of California
Leading with equity, Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky Initiative provides resources for youth, families, educators, and caregivers to promote emotional well-being for youth mental health supports through access, awareness, and advocacy. The initiative works with the California Department of Education (CDE) and nonprofit organizations to improve educational and health outcomes for youth by ensuring access to culturally diverse and responsive mental health resources. Read BlueSky’s article about Youth Creating Change here.
A longtime partner, Blue Shield generously supports multiple programs and initiatives at Youth Creating Change. They provide funding for our mini grant program, boosting efforts to provide youth in rural areas the opportunity – and funding – to participate in our program. For the last six years, they have also served as the signature sponsor of our Annual Award Ceremony and sponsor the People’s Choice Award.
Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Center for Distance and Online Learning Unit
In partnership with Youth Creating Change, The Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Center for Distance and Online Learning Unit aims to amplify student voice and leadership by providing hybrid training for teachers/students to participate in the Directing Change Film Contest. This creative partnership fosters mental well-being and resiliency through the Arts.
Funding is supported [in part] by grant number 6H79SM088086-01M001 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Any content of this program does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of SAMHSA or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and Arcadia for Suicide Prevention
Since 2020, Youth Creating Change has partnered with a research team from New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and Arcadia for Suicide Prevention to evaluate the suicide prevention curriculum delivered through our “mini grant” program. Data are currently being collected in a randomized, waitlist-control study funded by the William T Grant Foundation. Preliminary results from a pilot study out of NYU and their Center (ARCADIA for Suicide Prevention) are available for review. The pilot study included both a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews with youth participants and adult advisors.
As part of this evaluation, youth at 24 California high schools were surveyed during the 2023-2024 school year – once in the fall, and again in the spring. All 24 schools were surveyed again in the fall semester of the 2024-2025 school year. Findings from these surveys will help us better understand how participation in the Film Contest curriculum affects youth beliefs and behaviors around suicide prevention. Follow-up surveys also looked at how the program’s effects are felt throughout a school campus. Analyses of these surveys are currently underway, with findings to be shared soon.
Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH)
A big thank you to Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH) for supporting the Directing Change program and the 14th annual red carpet award event. You can learn about their local award ceremony and view art and film projects submitted to the Directing Change Film Contest and Hope & Justice art contest here: https://hopeandjustice.art/riversidecounty/
Monterey County Public Health
We are grateful for the support of Monterey County Public Health in launching our new Substance Use Category and curriculum, supporting our annual award event, as well as funding mini grants and a vaping media challenge in Monterey County.
Song for Charlie & DHCS
We are grateful for the support of Song for Charlie (SFC) and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). SFC is a California-based non-profit that helps educate youth and families about the dangers of fake prescription pills made with fentanyl and other dangerous chemicals. Their support is made possible through their ongoing partnership with the DHCS. SFC & DHCS are helping to fund our new Substance Use Category, as well as supporting our Directing Change Annual Film Contest.
Tri-City Mental Health
A big thank you to Tri-City Mental Health for supporting the participation of young people and schools in Tri-City in the Directing Change Film Contest and Hope & Justice Initiative. In addition, Tri-City Mental Health is also sponsoring several suicide prevention and postvention trainings.
Johns Hopkins University – Project AWARE Wildcats
Thank you to Johns Hopkins University for sponsoring the partnership with Project AWARE Wildcats in Chinle, Arizona. Project AWARE Wildcats brings together the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, Indian Health Service (IHS), the Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education, and the Chinle community in developing a sustainable infrastructure for school-based mental health programs and services. This partnership supports participation of youth at Chinle Unified School District in the Directing Change Program.
California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
Since 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has sponsored distribution of our Mental Health Thrival Kits that has resulted in more than 200,000 kits given to schools and organizations throughout California.
Through the Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP), established by AB 2112 , CDPH serves as the designated state entity responsible for coordinating and aligning statewide suicide prevention efforts and resources through planning and collaboration across diverse partners and systems. The Mental Health Thrival Kit sponsorship was made possible by Grant # NU50CE002595 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition, we appreciate all of our individual donations and supporters.
A Big Thank You To Our 2025 Event Sponsors
Signature Sponsor
Blue Shield
Returning as our signature event sponsor is the Blue Shield of California BlueSky youth mental health initiative. Leading with equity, BlueSky provides resources for youth, families, educators, and caregivers to promote emotional well-being for youth mental health supports through access, awareness, and advocacy. The initiative works with the California Department of Education (CDE) and nonprofit organizations to improve the health and well-being for all California youth, with a focus on health inequities in communities of color.
Gold Sponsor
Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH)
A big thank you to Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH) for supporting the Directing Change program and the 13th annual red carpet award event.
Your Social Marketer
Your Social Marketer, Inc has been a Youth Creating Change partner for many years and is passionate about having the films seen by as many people as possible to inspire much-needed conversations on these topics in our schools, families and communities. They will make a donation for every “Share and Tag” of this year’s finalists.
Bronze Sponsor
Soluna
Thank you to Soluna, a free mental health service for Californians ages 13-25, for their generous sponsorship of the 13th Annual Award Ceremony at the Bronze level, and their support of youth mental health by sponsoring Mental Health Thrival Kits for youth finalists in the Directing Change Film Contest.
Change Craft
A critical partner in strategic counsel, message development, public relations, advocacy support, and customization of communication tools across all digital platforms.
Additional Program and Event Sponsors
Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Center for Distance and Online Learning Unit
In partnership with Youth Creating Change, The Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Center for Distance and Online Learning Unit aims to amplify student voice and leadership by providing hybrid training for teachers/students to participate in The Directing Change Film Contest. This creative partnership fosters mental wellbeing and resiliency through the Arts. Thank you for making it possible for LA County students to attend this event!
This event was supported [in part] by grant number 6H79SM088086-01M001 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The content of this event does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of SAMHSA or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
A Big Thank You To Our Past Program Partners and Funders
CalHOPE and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) are programs of the CA Department of Health Care Services designed to help young people navigate the stress, anxiety, and depression they may experience from the many challenges they face. Youth engagement and youth voice are essential in the design and implementation of programs. Thank you to the CalHOPE Schools initiative for sponsoring prompts and partnering with us to elevate youth voices. Learn more at CalHopeSchools.org and visit the CalHOPE sponsored art gallery: https://hopeandjustice.art/virtual-art-exhibit/
Never a Bother Campaign: This year the Suicide Prevention Category is sponsored by the Never a Bother campaign. The Never a Bother campaign is a youth suicide prevention awareness and outreach campaign for young people and their parents, caregivers, and allies. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) funded campaign is implemented by Civilian as part of the broader California Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). The campaign aims to connect more youth experiencing thoughts of suicide to help by reinforcing the belief that they deserve support and are never a bother when reaching out to friends, trusted adults, counselors, and other types of support, such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has generously supported Mental Health Thrival Kits for schools and youth-serving organizations in Los Angeles County. They also provided funding for the Mental Health Thrival Kits to be culturally adapted for Korean American and Filipino American youth.
California Counties and the Mental Health Services Act: The Directing Change film contest, was originally funded by counties through the Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) as part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. Learn more about how the program got started and our story here. And be sure to visit California’s mental health campaign www.takeaction4mh.com.
We continue to appreciate our strong partnerships with county behavioral health agencies. To see how some counties are integrating our program locally, check out these county landing pages:
Survivors of Suicide Loss San Diego: Survivors of Suicide Loss (SOSL) reaches out to and supports people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Youth Creating Change and SOSLSD partner each year to put on the Annual Walk in Remembrance with Hope in memory of loved ones and to raise awareness about suicide prevention. A portion of the funds raised go to supporting San Diego area youth who are participating in the Annual Film Contest and San Diego County schools and organizations.
Angels Baseball: For several years, the Angels Baseball Foundation has provided funding to bring the suicide prevention curriculum to Orange County schools.
The Angels Baseball Foundation, established in 2004, concentrates on investments in education, healthcare, arts and sciences, and community-related youth programs throughout the region. In addition, the Foundation provides children the opportunity to experience the great game of baseball and its countless positive attributes.
In addition, we appreciate all of our individual donations and supporters.