REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – (January 5, 2024) Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) was awarded $1,000,000 to expand allcove Beach Cities programs and services through the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) for the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Round 4: Youth-Driven Programs.

As part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) awarded $150 million to 262 organizations to support wellness and build resilience of children, youth, and young adults. This grant program will allow for expansion of existing allcove locations in the Beach Cities, Orange County, Sacramento and San Mateo, and will add six new allcove centers to the statewide network.

Locally, this $1,000,000 grant will support the ongoing operational expansion to allow allcove Beach Cities to provide more services to young people by hiring more staff and increasing service provider contracts, expanding hours to six days a week, and creating the billing infrastructure needed to ensure the sustainability of the allcove program model.

“We are extremely grateful to the Department of Health Care Services for their commitment to ‘walk the talk,’ and taking steps to deliver mental health services for young people,” said Tom Bakaly, Chief Executive Officer for BCHD. “In just 14 months, we have seen the positive impact allcove Beach Cities has made in our community through services and events designed for young people at the center.”

“Our team is grateful for the support of those officials who wrote letters on behalf of allcove Beach Cities, including Congressman Ted Lieu, State Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell and the South Bay Cities Council of Governments,” said Bakaly. “Their support, along with our service providers and Youth Advisory Group, has been critical to the successful launch of the allcove Beach Cities Center and its future.”

Since opening in November 2022, there have been nearly 5,000 visits to allcove Beach Cities by young people. Nearly 500 young people and their parents have received services ranging from mental health services, psychiatry services for early psychosis, risk assessments, support for young people experiencing homelessness, substance use counseling and diversion, career and life skills support, and intimate partner violence support. allcove Beach Cities has hosted more than 450 stakeholder tours and 100 events at allcove, including an August event where youth artists had the opportunity to write and perform original songs for the chance to perform at the BeachLife music festival. Opportunities like this demonstrate that allcove centers can not only provide critical services, but also serve as safe gathering spaces for young people to pursue life skills and wellness offerings in a youth-led space.

This announcement brings the total grant monies awarded to BCHD for allcove Beach Cities to $10.3 million. BCHD will break ground in 2024 on the permanent location for allcove Beach Cities as part of the Healthy Living Campus revitalization.

​Round 4: Youth-Driven Programs​
Youth-driven programs ($50 million) to provide a safe space for youth and young adults (ages 12-25) by expanding youth-driven community center programs, where young people can access a variety of services and supports in a single location, and other youth-led practices. DHCS, in collaboration with the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, is expanding youth-driven programs in 30 California counties.