Back-to-School Youth Outreach Programs
Supporting Student Mental Health, Safety, and Leadership
Lake County Behavioral Health Services (LCBHS) provides students with tools to stay safe, support each other, and lead confidently. LCBHS and its partners are proud of their work improving student wellbeing and community resilience.
LCBHS attends school and community events year-round. Through prevention, leadership training, and both non-clinical and clinical programs, students gain the confidence and skills to care for themselves, support others, and succeed throughout the school year.
LCBHS’s non-clinical outreach teams connect with middle and high school students using the age-appropriate Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention model. Students learn to recognize warning signs and identify trusted adults. Staff share personal stories to build trust and relatability. Group education includes Teen and Youth Mental Health First Aid, Know the Signs, Project Alert, The Truth About Drugs, and Life Skills. Programs meet students in schools, in groups, and through conversation—providing essential skills to stay safe and support peers.
LCBHS partners with the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE) to support Friday Night Live (FNL), a youth-led campaign against underage drinking. Lower Lake High School FNL members engage local alcohol retailers, conduct store assessments, provide merchant education, and inform customers about consequences for supplying alcohol to minors. Students receive training in data collection, public speaking, public service announcements, leadership, and advocacy. These initiatives empower youth to take meaningful action and create safer communities.
FNL was featured in the February 2025 edition. To read more about the program, click here.
Beyond community outreach, LCBHS has strengthened school-based services through Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS). Partnering with LCOE, SMHS began at Clearlake Creativity School and Lloyd P. Hance Community School. In October 2021, LCBHS received a Mental Health Student Services Act grant with LCOE to expand access. Director Elise Jones said, “Through this grant, we have realized the vision of expanding school-based Specialty Mental Health Services for all Lake County students.” Deputy Superintendent Rebecca Walker and Clinical Deputy Director April Giambra have been instrumental in sustaining the program.
Current SMHS site-certified school campuses:
Shade Canyon Charter School
Burns Valley Elementary
Carle Continuation High School
Clearlake Creativity School
Clearlake High School
Clover Valley High School
Cobb Mountain Elementary School
East Lake Elementary School
Kelseyville Elementary School
Kelseyville High School
Lakeport Alternative School
Lakeport Elementary School
Lower Lake Elementary School
Lower Lake High School
LCOE Lucerne Elementary
Middletown High School
Middletown Middle School
Minnie Cannon Elementary School K-6
MH Outside Providers LCOE Mt. Vista Middle School
Obsidian Middle School
Pomo Elementary
Riviera Elementary School
Terrace Middle School
Upper Lake Elementary School
LCOE Upper Lake High School
Upper Lake Middle School
In addition to school-based programs, LCBHS provides direct access to critical services:
24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Line (Mobile Crisis Response Services): 800-900-2075 for urgent mental health or substance use support.
24/7 Member Service Line: 888-541-4578 for individuals seeking treatment resources for alcohol and substance use disorders.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Available through LCBHS. Lake County residents can access MAT by contacting either clinic below:
Lucerne (North Shore Clinic): 6302 Thirteenth Ave, Lucerne, CA 95458 • 707-274-9101
Clearlake (South Shore Clinic): 7000-B S Center Dr., Suite B, Clearlake, CA 95422 • 707-994-7090.
Visit the Behavioral Health Services page here for more information.
LCBHS staff bring programs to life. Richard “Richie” Occhino, Outreach and Prevention Specialist, and James Martin, CCAAP Substance Abuse Counselors, bring empathy and lived experience to every interaction. At the Lake County Fair, Overdose Awareness Day, and other events, staff ensure students feel heard, seen, valued, and respected. At Recovery Happens—the community event on September 13, 2025, in Lakeport—families participated in a Recovery Walk & Banner Contest, explored informational booths, listened to inspirational speakers, and enjoyed raffle prizes.
Readers are also encouraged to tune into KPFZ 88.1 every Wednesday at 2 p.m. for Recovery Radio, featuring Carrie Manning, Mountain Sander, and Megan Morgan discussing local resources, recovery support, and building a healthier community.
These programs aren’t just services—they’re lifelines. They help students feel safe, supported, and ready to take on the year. LCBHS is proud to stand beside Lake County’s youth.