by Laine Himmelmann
NAMI Youth Advocacy Day, Sacramento
Nearly all of Gen Z youth — 94% — report experiencing mental health challenges in an average month, while stigma still continues to be a barrier to care.
This is according to the recent BlueSky Youth Mental Health Survey, compiled by Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky youth mental health initiative and Children Now. Additionally, among teenagers and young adults who’ve sought professional support but didn’t receive it, 35% cited embarrassment as a barrier. Even youth who did receive care said stigma and shame were persistent obstacles.
So it’s no surprise that calls to reduce stigma took center stage at the 2025 Youth Advocacy Day, organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) California with support from Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky youth mental health initiative. The event also saw a call to elevate youth voices for mental health.
“Mental health goes hand in hand with physical health,” said Simran Kaur, a high school senior from the Central Valley and a NAMI On Campus member. “It should be as common to say you have anxiety, depression or symptoms of burnout as it is to say you have a cold.”
“It’s important to recognize when you’re struggling so you can get the right support,” she continued. “Making sure youth know they’re supported is crucial to their personal and academic success.”
Elevating youth voices around mental health
Paula Ambrose, Emily Lyday, Simran Kaur and Glenn Brassington speak at “Youth Advocacy and Leadership” session
On October 15, more than 200 high school and college students gathered at the state capitol for Youth Advocacy Day to share their stories, meet with policymakers and participate in a youth symposium focused on policy and leadership.
For nearly 50 years, NAMI California has worked to transform the narrative around mental health through education, advocacy and community-driven programs. Its student-led, NAMI On Campus clubs raise awareness and reduce stigma through peer-led activities in schools across the state. Events like Youth Advocacy Day — supported by Blue Shield of California — amplify these efforts by creating space for youth leadership and legislative engagement.
“These conversations are so important, because if we don’t talk about it, who’s going to?” said Glenn Brassington, a freshman at Stanford University and longtime NAMI On Campus member. “Having youth at the forefront of discussions of mental health, of future policy — that’s something that lets us improve the system in every way.”
The resilient generation
Despite facing significant challenges, California youth still remain largely optimistic: 63% report they still feel hopeful for the future, according to the BlueSky Youth Mental Health Survey. Many, including the hundreds who attended Youth Advocacy Day, are also actively engaging in efforts to protect their mental health and advocate for change.
Paula Ambrose, Blue Shield of California with Egle Cisneros, NAMI California
“Something that makes our generation stand apart is how resilient we are,” said Emily Lyday, a NAMI On Campus member and sophomore at UCLA, studying cognitive science and digital humanities. “Youth today are very determined to take the steps needed to make change — in policy and in reducing the stigma around mental health.”
Paula Ambrose, who leads Blue Shield’s BlueSky initiative on the behavioral health team, and participated in the youth symposium alongside Kaur, Brassington and Lyday, also emphasizes the importance of placing youth voices at the center of conversations around youth mental health.
“What we hear from youth and our members directly informs our behavioral health programs at Blue Shield of California,” said Ambrose. “Youth Advocacy Days like this — and NAMI On Campus’ student-led clubs, which raise awareness and reduce stigma through peer-driven activities in schools across the state — are powerful examples of how young people are leading the way in transforming mental health culture.”
Resources
About BlueSky: Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky youth mental health initiative is a multi-year effort to promote emotional well-being for young people across California. Since 2019, BlueSky has supported over 25,000 youth and educators through on-campus and online mental health services, educator training and youth-driven advocacy programs.
About NAMI: To learn more about the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) visit NamiCA.org