HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2511-5442F.Discussion on allcove Palo Alto New Item Added, At Places Memo
Item No. F. Page 1 of 1
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City Schools Liaison Committee
At Places Memo
From: City Manager’s Office
Meeting Date: November 13, 2025
Item Number: F
Report #:2511-5442
TITLE
At Places Memo: Discussion on allcove Palo Alto
BACKGROUND
Staff is providing the attached materials as information to aid the Committee’s discussion.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Santa Clara County Health and Hospital Committee allcove Report
APPROVED BY:
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager
County of Santa Clara
Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System
Behavioral Health Services Department
Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 1 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
123579
DATE: April 30, 2025
TO: Health and Hospital Committee
FROM: Sherri Terao, Director, Behavioral Health Services
SUBJECT: allcove Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Receive report from Behavioral Health Services Department relating to allcove Palo Alto.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no fiscal implications from this informational report.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION
At the request of former Health and Hospital Committee (HHC) Chair Simitian, the
following is a report on the allcove program, covering the reporting period of January 1,
2024, through December 31, 2024.
Overview
Established in 2021, allcove Palo Alto (allcove) serves as a community wellness center and a
welcoming space for youth and young adults (ages 12-25) with mild to moderate behavioral
health/well-being needs. Developed in collaboration with youth and young adults, BHSD’s
allcove model aims to combat stigma, promote mental well-being, foster community ties, and
provide culturally sensitive services. The allcove program provides youth and young adults
with an array of services:
• Mental Health Services - individual counseling and support groups to address mental
health needs and raise awareness about challenges faced by youth/young adults, such
as anxiety and depression.
• Substance Use Prevention Services - screening, psychoeducation (e.g., information
on the dangers of fentanyl), counseling, peer support groups, linkages to treatment
services to address alcohol and/or substance use issues.
• Physical Health Services - safe, confidential, and judgment free sexual and
reproductive health testing, medication information, and connection to care.
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 2 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
• Supported Education and Employment (SEE) Services - services to help
youth/young adults prepare for college, vocational programs, assistance with school
reentry, employment, and nontraditional secondary education.
• Peer Support Services (PSS) - mentorship and emotional support provided by peers
with lived experience. PSS is available to support individuals in navigating and
bridging to other community resources, such as housing supports.
• Other Support - workshops, recreational activities, social engagements, and other
relevant activities are provided in a community space for youth/young adults, and their
families on a weekly basis to reduce social isolation.
Youth Advisory Group
An essential component of the allcove model is the Youth Advisory Group (YAG),
composed of 12-15 young people (ages 16-25) representing diverse backgrounds. YAG plays
a pivotal role in shaping allcove’s policies, structure, and services, while ensuring that young
voices and opinions are at the core of the allcove experience (i.e., youth input relating to
physical design, staffing, activities, and communication style). Each year, a new YAG cohort
is recruited between the months of January and June with the cohort term beginning in
August. YAG members can serve only up to two terms to ensure ongoing recruitment of new
voices, fresh ideas, and opportunities for youth/young adults to develop leadership skills.
In this reporting period, YAG Cohort #7 has been actively collaborating with the allcove staff
and providing feedback about how to effectively create youth friendly marketing language to
promote allcove’s services on social media. YAG collaborated with BHSD’s Alexian
Children, Family and Community Service (CFCS) Youth Substance Use Treatment Services
Clinic and BHSD’s communications team to create a 60-second commercial about BHSD’s
substance use treatment services, available on the County website and social media
platforms, (e.g., Facebook and Instagram). With YAG’s input, allcove has been successful in
reaching out to youth from diverse cultural backgrounds and connecting with underserved
and culturally specific populations.
Additionally, BHSD has offered YAG members opportunities for youth leadership
development and professional skills building. YAG has been invited to actively participate in
panel interviews for hiring allcove staff and has also joined the allcove team in facilitating
workshops, such as Love and Limits, Youth Community Services (YCS) Anti-Burnout
Workshop, and Game for Neurodiversity. Several YAG members have supported Stanford’s
Central allcove Team (CaT) with event planning and preparation for the February 2025
allcove conference, and YAG helped with co -development and co-presentation of allcove
Palo Alto updates at the conference. These events and activities are providing opportunities
for YAG members to build their leadership skills, promote overall wellness, and support
educating other young people and their families in the community on behavioral health
issues.
As the current YAG cohort is finalizing their work, allcove has begun recruiting for a new
YAG Cohort (#8) for the application period between January and April 2025. Interviews for
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 3 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
the new cohort will finalize in June 2025 to complete the selection process for the new
Cohort by July 2025.
Outreach and Engagement
As part of the youth-centered allcove model, the allcove team works closely with YAG to
outreach and promote the allcove center and services. Joint efforts include developing and
delivering presentations and/or informational sessions about allcove’s program, event
planning, and conducting outreach activities at community events such as Mission College’s
Self Love, Gunn High School Prime Day, Alta Housing Spring Fair, the annual Children’s
Summit, and the Palo Alto Community Health Fair.
To further expand outreach, the allcove team has partnered with BHSD’s Associate
Communications Officer, YAG, and Homestead High School’s Future Business Leaders of
America to share ideas and create content for social media posting on YouTube, Facebook,
and Instagram about the allcove program and to introduce the public to allcove’s team
members. Additionally, to increase public awareness and engagement, the allcove team
continues to provide tabling at many community events as listed in Table 1:
Table 1
2024 allcove Team Tabling at Community Events
Quarter 1
January – March
Quarter 2
April - June
Quarter 3
July - September
Quarter 4
October - December
• Wellness Week -
JLS Middle
School
• Peer Advocate
Advisory
Council
Resource Fair
• Unity Walk for
Suicide
Prevention
• Taking Action
for Whole Health
and Wellbeing
• Denim Day -
West Valley
• Alta Housing
Event
• Gunn High
School
Neurodiversity
Fair
• Viva Calle
• San Jose
Community
College Career
Fair
• Los Altos High
School Wellness
Week
• Wavefest
• BHSD Mental
• Minority Mental
Health &
Wellness
Resource Fair
• Mission College
Basic Needs
Fair
• National Night
Out
• Viva Parks
• Titan Health
Fair
• Mountain
View Teen
Wellness
Retreat
• Mission College
Wellness Fair
• Finals Cram Slam
• College, Career,
and Community
Resource Fair
• Undocumented
Student Resource
Fair
• Day on the Bay
• Kara Grief Walk
n Run to
Remember
• Palo Alto High
School Wellness
Fair hosted by
YCS
• Gunn High
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 4 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
Health Awareness
Month
School Wellness
Pop-up
allcove Data Summary and Program Updates
Between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, a total of 362 youth visited allcove Palo
Alto, and 222 youth completed a welcome packet. While all youth may participate in any of
the pro-social, wellness and psychoeducation workshops, youth wishing to receive any of the
core services, including physical health, behavioral health, psychiatry, peer support and SEE
services, must complete a welcome packet that includes an initial screening and application.
The allcove program continues to enroll approximately 20 new and unduplicated youth each
month.
Cumulatively, since June 2021 (allcove center launch) through December 31, 2024, a total of
1,221 unduplicated youth have visited allcove Palo Alto with 819 youth completing a
welcome packet for received services alongside general allcove activities. The majority of
youth (80%) participate in services for approximately three to six months, and about 10% of
all youth receiving services return to allcove for additional services at a later time.
Table 2
Youth Participation in allcove Services and Workshops
Service Category* CY 2021** CY 2022 CY 2023 CY 2024 Total
Physical Health
Services
7 11 20 26 64
Behavioral Health
Services
50 175 163 162 550
Psychiatry
2 34 40 34 110
Peer Support Services 56 107 74 108 345
Supportive Education
& Employment (SEE)
10 64 35 68 177
Workshop
Attendance
20 81 264 376 741
*Note: A given youth may receive multiple services and/or attend multiple workshops
** CY 2021 provides data from allcove center launch in June 2021 through December 2021
In comparing the current Calendar Year (CY) 2024 data with previous years since the launch
of allcove in June 2021, the following trends have been observed:
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 5 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
• In CY 2024, similar to previous calendar years, behavioral health services (including
substance use prevention and family services) continue to be the most requested by
youth and account for 45% (n =162 out of 360) of the available encounters accessed.
• While CY 2024 saw the highest number of requests for physical health services
compared to previous calendar years, physical health services continue to be at 17% (n
= 32 out of 184) of the encounters accessed by youth.
• For SEE services, with the exception of CY 2023, when allcove experienced a
temporary staffing reduction for about 4-5 months, the rate of service access has
remained similar over the years, and the current CY 2024 rate is at 37% (n = 68 out of
180) of the available encounters accessed by youth. SEE service distribution is
expected to remain unchanged or grow at a nominal rate as youth in Palo Alto and its
surrounding areas report less need, as similar services are already provided as part of
school programs and through family/community connections.
• Since allcove opened in CY 2021 and over the years, allcove team has observed a
significant increase (over 350%) in youth workshop attendance from 20 participants in
CY 2021 to 376 in CY 2024. allcove has capacity for ongoing increase in workshop
attendance with ability to serve up to approximately 800 attendees annually.
Youth accessing allcove services are covered by various types of health insurance. When
comparing annual insurance coverage data for youth receiving allcove services, from CY
2021 through CY 2024, the percentage of youth covered by private insurance has been
decreasing from 58% to 35%, while the percentage of youth covered by Medi-Cal insurance
has been relatively constant at approximately 25%. The percentage of youth lacking
insurance coverage has slightly decreased from CY 2021/2022 to CY 2024 from about 5% to
1%. Over the years, allcove has continued to make efforts to collect insurance related
information about youth served. However, about a third of youth receiving allcove services
have either omitted or declined to provide insurance information. Youth with missing
insurance information are either presumed to be uninsured or privately insured but would not
include Medi-Cal recipients, as allcove has access to verify any individual who is covered by
Medi-Cal insurance.
In addition to the above listed allcove services in CY 2024, allcove also expanded its youth
workshops as shown in Table 3 below.
Table 3
Objective Workshops Topic Highlights*
Stress Management
1. Button-Up with Love
2. Sensory Soothing
3. Mind and Body
4. Seasonal Saddies
5. Double Dog Day
Developing strategies to
self-regulate and to manage
stress
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 6 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
6. Crochet Tote Bags
Education &
Employment Support
1. Discover Supported Education
and Employment (SEE)
2. Write On
3. Study Solutions
4. Financial Wellness
5. Summer Camp Series
6. College Prep 101
Developing skills and
strategies to manage
educational demands and
obtaining employment
opportunities
Substance Use
Prevention
1. Let’s talk about it
2. Carecove
Opportunities to learn
effects of substance use on
the body and trainings on
Narcan administration and
prevention
Pro-Social
Engagement
1. Open Mic Night
2. Pizza Puzzle Party
3. The Friendship Formula
Opportunities for youth to
connect with likeminded
and positive peers
Wellness/Emotional
Wellbeing
1. Healthy Relationships with
Medical
2. Family Resource Hours
(parents)
3. Create and Relate
4. Wellness Wednesdays
5. Booknook Series
6. Corny Thursday Series
Activities to support overall
wellness and provide
psychoeducation about
mental health issues
Culture, Diversity,
and Inclusion
1. Queer Support Group
2. Heritage Month Movie Night
3. Stimmy with Me
4. Formal Clothes Drive
5. Queercove
6. Dia de Los Muertos
Celebration
Supporting specific youth
groups that have been
negatively impacted by the
system
*Refer to Attachment 1 – Samples of allcove’s Monthly Workshop Calendars for more information and details.
Community Involvement
In addition to offering workshops onsite, the allcove team also provides workshops in the
community at local schools, such as Palo Alto High School, Gunn High School, and Greene
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 7 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
Middle School, and at community resource/nonprofit locations such as Alta Housing and
Little Blue House. Workshops for youth include wellness/peer-support related activities (e.g.,
slime making, aroma therapy, Mario Kart Prime at PALY; button making at Greene Middle
School; wellness pop-up, prime day, and friendship bracelets at Gunn High School; cookie
decorating, lunch time, affirmation bracelets, and gift wrapping at Alta Housing).
Another core component of the allcove model is to ensure that community voice is part of
program development. allcove accomplishes this through facilitation of the Community
Consortium, an advisory group consisting of community stakeholders and local organizations
(e.g. nonprofits such as Alta Housing and Reaching and Inspiring Success Through
Education (RISE), Palo Alto Unified School District, Mountain View Los Altos Union High
School District, and Mitchell Park Library). In CY 2024, the Community Consortium
supported the allcove team with designing recreational and educational workshops that
engage a diverse audience and about destigmatizing mental health. Workshops included the
Lunar New Year event, Black History Month event, and Sensory Soothing workshop that
offer inclusive activities and promote mental health among hard-to-reach youth, who are less
likely to engage in mental health services. Along with YAG, the Consortium has thought
partnered with the allcove team on how to address youth mental health barriers and needs,
build on existing marketing strategies to educate the community about allcove’s services to
effectively increase program utilization.
Lastly, allcove has been working with community organizations such as the Palo Alto
Unified School District’s Black Student Union and Little Blue House in planning events and
activities to attract underserved, and vulnerable groups, including Asian American and
Pacific Islanders, Black/African American, and neurodiverse populations.
Youth Experience
To ensure that services are effective and youth-friendly, allcove invites all youth visiting the
center to complete a post-visit survey about their allcove experience. Quantitative and
qualitative data from these surveys help the allcove team measure youth satisfaction and
identify service gaps. As shown in Table 4, CY 2024 survey results suggest that youth remain
highly positive about their allcove experience.
Table 4
Youth Experience - allcove Survey Results
CY 2021 CY 2022 CY 2023 CY 2024
Number of Youth Surveys
Completed 45 129 119 77
Percentage of youth feeling
heard, understood, and
respected by allcove staff
100% 99% 96% 95%
Percentage of youth feeling
satisfied with allcove services 96% 97% 96% 95%
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 8 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
Percentage of youth that
recommend allcove to a friend 96% 96% 97% 93%
Most participants learned about allcove through their peers sharing their own positive
experiences in visiting and receiving services at the center. Survey respondents identified
allcove as a comfortable space, where they are provided clear, youth -oriented information,
timely access to services and linkages to other community resources. Additionally,
respondents noted that the allcove center helps address their needs and reduce their sense of
stigma in accessing behavioral health care.
Challenges for CY 2025
Since the allcove implementation, BHSD has been working closely with the State’s
Commission for Behavioral Health, formerly the Mental Health Services Oversight and
Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) and their consultants, Stanford Psychiatry
CYMHW, and other allcove grantees to explore strategies to support allcove program
sustainability. The allcove program has an estimated $4.25 million annual budget with
approximately 71% of the budget covering staff salaries and benefits.
In the initial years of launching allcove, funding was provided through the Innovation
component of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). However, the MHSA innovation
funding has ended on December 31, 2023. While allcove has been funded by MHSA’s
Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) component since January 1, 2024, with the MHSA
transition to the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), all counties are expecting to
receive about 5% less funding and counties must dedicate more local funding to housing and
intensive service. Therefore, other funding options need to be evaluated for sustaining the
allcove program. BHSD and its partners continue exploring the feasibility of using the
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Multi -Payer Fee Schedule
Initiative (Fee Schedule),1 which is being implemented through school districts and/or Local
Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Fiscal Years (FY) 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026. BHSD
and allcove partners are also exploring how to bill private insurance plans directly. BHSD is
currently assessing utilization rates for billable services compared to budgeted capacity. This
will help BHSD determine the extent to which behavioral health and medical services must
be modified in order to be sustainable.
CHILD IMPACT
The recommended action would positively impact youth and young adults as the allcove
program sites promote Every Child Safe, Every Child Healthy, Every Child Successful in
Learning, and Every Child Successful in Life.
SENIOR IMPACT
1 The CYBHI is a California initiative with state investments aimed at improving mental health and well -being of children and
youth. As part of the CYBHI workstream, the state has developed a Fee Schedule for LEAs to expand access to outpatient mental
health or substance use disorder services for students up to 25 years of age at or near a school site. The Fee Schedule scope of
reimbursement will cover psychoeducation, screenings and assessments, therapy, and care coordination for mild to moderate
conditions or needs. https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/CYBHI/Pages/Fee-Schedule.aspx
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Board of Supervisors: Sylvia Arenas, Betty Duong, Otto Lee, Susan Ellenberg, Margaret Abe-Koga Page 9 of 9
County Executive: James R. Williams
Agenda Date: April 30, 2025
The recommended action will have no/neutral impact on seniors.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS
The recommended action will have no/neutral sustainability implications
BACKGROUND
The allcove innovation project was approved in November 2017 by the County of Santa
Clara MHSA Stakeholder Leadership Committee, the County Board of Supervisors, and the
MHSOAC. On August 23, 2018, the MHSOAC approved the use of MHSA innovation funds
to begin implementation of the allcove model consisting of integrated health centers for
youth and young adults (ages 12-25) with mild to moderate needs that includes access to
behavioral health, physical health, employment, education, and peer support services.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Attachment 1 - allcove Monthly Workshop Calendars (PDF)
• Attachment 2 - 2024 allcove Report PPT (PDF)
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3 create & relate
5 - 6 pm
22 23 let it grow
4:30 - 6:30 pm
10
24
7
21
28
14
29
8
15
6
20
13
27
17
4
11
25
18
5
12
26
19
9
16
S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T
21
April Events
allcove.org
game night
5:30 - 6:30 pm
open mic
5:30 - 6:30 pm
game night
5:30 - 6:30 pm
strategies for
success
5 - 6 pm
open mic
5:30 - 6:30 pm
open mic
5:30 - 6:30 pm
center hours
Monday - Friday: 10 am - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
30
open mic
5:30 - 6:30 pm
allcove Palo Alto2741 Middlefield Road, Suite 102Palo Alto, CA 94306650-798-6330
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
open mic
5:30 - 6:30 pm
Closed for
Cesar Chavez
Day
Taylor Swift
listening party
4:30 - 6 pm
formal clothes
shop
5 - 6 pm
spring into health
4 - 6 pm
parent/guardian
support resource group
5 - 6 pm
strategies for
success
5 - 6 pm
strategies for
success
5 - 6 pm
strategies for
success
5 - 6 pm
formal clothes
shop
5 - 6 pm
formal clothes
shop
5 - 6 pm
teen Mental Health
First Aid Training
5 - 6:30 pm
create & relate
5 - 6 pm
create & relate
5 - 6 pm
create & relate
5 - 6 pm
ATTACHMENT 1 - ALLCOVE MONTHLY CALENDAR 2024 (SAMPLES)6.a
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24
7
21
28
14
29
8
22
15
6
20
13
27
3
10
17
4
11
25
18
5
12
26
19
9
23
16
S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T
21
September Events
allcove.org
center hours
Monday - Friday: 10 am - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
30
allcove Palo Alto2741 Middlefield Road, Suite 102Palo Alto, CA 94306650-798-6330
Closed for
Labor Day
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
one-in-a-melon
health fair
4 - 6 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
queer support group:
gayme night
5 - 6 pm
queer support group:
support group (12-17)
5 - 6 pm
queer support group:
drag night
5 - 6 pm
sensory self-care:
slime making
5 - 6 pm
sensory self-care:
scavenger hunt
5 - 6 pm
sensory self-care:
candle making
5 - 6 pm
sensory self-care:
blind taste test
5 - 6 pm
latinx heritage
month movie night
5 - 6 pm
parent/guardian
support resource group
5 - 6 pm
parent/guardian
support resource group
5 - 6 pm
nature & nurture
10 am - 12 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
lunar lantern party
5 - 6 pm
September is Suicide Prevention Month
If you, or someone you know is struggling, or in crisis, help is available.
Call or text 988 for support.
queer support group:
support group (18-25)
5 - 6 pm
6.a
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volunteer with allcove
@ Webster Wood Apartments
4 - 6 pm
24
7
21
28
14
29
8
22
15
6
20
13
27
3
10
17
4
11
25
18
5
12
26
19
9
23
16
S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T
21
December Events
allcove.org
center hours
Monday - Friday: 10 am - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
30
allcove Palo Alto2741 Middlefield Road, Suite 102Palo Alto, CA 94306650-798-6330
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
Closed for
Christmas Day
31
winter fest
5 - 6 pm
smart goals
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
11 am - 12 pm
crochet tote bags
5 - 6 pm
drop-in therapy
11 - 3 pm
1
Closed for
New Year’s Day
finals survival kit
party
5 - 6 pm
barbie nutcracker
movie night
5 - 6 pm
parent/guardian
support resource group
5 - 6 pm
parent/guardian
support resource group
5 - 6 pm
holiday art show
5 - 6 pm
drop-in therapy
3 - 7 pm
seasonal
saddies
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
drop-in SEE support
5 - 6 pm
crochet tote bags
5 - 6 pm
crochet tote bags
5 - 6 pm
crochet tote bags
5 - 6 pm
crochet tote bags
5 - 6 pm
6.a
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allcove Report
Health and Hospital Committee Meeting
April 30, 2025
Behavioral Health Services Department
Zelia Faria Costa, LMFT
Director, Children, Youth and Family System of Care
Jennifer Pham, LCSW
Division Director, Children, Youth and Family System of Care
6.b
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Focus Areas for Today’s Report
allcove Palo Alto
Program Overview Community Outreach
and Engagement
Program Results, Data
Highlights
Ongoing Efforts
31
42
2
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allcove Program Overview
•allcove Palo Alto – Established in 2021, allcove Palo Alto (allcove) serves as a community
wellness center and a welcoming space for youth and young adults (ages 12-25) with mild
to moderate needs.
•Youth Voice - An essential component of the allcove model is youth voice. The Youth
Advisory Group (YAG), composed of 12-15 young people (ages 16-25) and representing
diverse backgrounds, plays a pivotal role in shaping allcove's policies, structure, and
services. With YAG’s input, allcove has been successful in outreach, attracting youth from
diverse cultural backgrounds and connecting culturally specific groups and underserved
populations to services and activities.
Educational
Workshops
and Social
Events
Substance
Use
Prevention
Services
Physical
Health
Services
Peer
Support
Services
Supported
Education and
Employment
Services
Mental
Health
Services
allcove Services and Activities
3
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allcove Palo Alto Program Overview (cont.)
allcove Workshops for Youth and Caregivers
Youth-oriented workshops have been developed using
community voice and feedback from YAG, the Community
Consortium (an advisory board consisting of key stakeholders,
community members, and organizations), who provide feedback
and support to address needs and barriers relating to
youth mental health needs.
Purpose
To combat stigma, promote mental well-being, foster
community ties, and provide culturally sensitive services
4
Sample of Events from CY 2024 Reporting Period
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allcove Palo Alto Data Highlights -CY 2024
Behavioral
Health
40% (n=162)
Peer Support
Services
27% (n=108)
Supportive Education
& Employment (SEE)
17% (n=68)
Psychiatry
9% (n=34)
Physical Health
7% (n=26)
CY 2024 - Youth Participation in allcove Services
Annual: Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
362 number of youth visited allcove
222 intake screening packet completed by youth
376 number of workshop participants
Cumulative: June 2021 – Dec 2024
1,221 number of youth visited allcove
819 intake screening packet completed by youth
741 number of workshop participants
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Key Takeaways
•Similar to previous years, behavioral health services (substance use prevention and family services) continue to be
the most requested by youth.
•For SEE, with the exception of CY 2023, when allcove experienced a temporary staffing reduction, the rate of
service access has remained similar over the years. SEE expected to remain unchanged or grow at a nominal rate as
youth in Palo Alto and its surrounding areas report similar services are already provided as part of school programs
and through family/community connections.
•Since allcove opened and over the years, allcove team has observed a significant increase (over 350%) in youth
workshop. allcove has capacity to serve up to approximately 800 attendees annually.
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allcove Youth Experience
95%
77
93%
youth surveys
completed
of youth would
recommend allcove
to a friend
95%
of youth felt
satisfied with
services
of youth felt heard,
understood, and
respected by
allcove staff
"I loved how accepting
everyone was and I enjoyed
how open I could be."
“I thought [staff] was incredible and
helped answer questions efficiently
while also making me feel seen."
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For CY 2024,
370 youth surveys completed
Cumulative (since June 2021)
95%would recommend allcove
felt heard, understood, respected
satisfied with services
97%
96%
"I didn't know this existed.
What a great resource for the
community."
CY 2024 Survey Results
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Behavioral Health Services Department
Zelia Faria Costa, LMFT
Director, Children Youth and Family Division
Catherine Aspiras, LMFT
Division Director, School Linked Services
Tablin
•Gunn High School Pride Event
•RISE Winterlodge Holiday Party
•Palo Alto High School (PALY)
Wellness Fair
• Careers in Science – Cal Academy
of Science
•Undocumented Student Resource
Fair
•Day on the Bay
• Los Altos Suicide Awareness Fair
•National Night Out
•Minority Mental Health & Wellness
Resource Fair
• Unity Walk for Suicide Prevention
• And many more . . .
Community Based Organizations
•Youth Community Services
•Project Safety Net
•Alta Housing
•Los Gatos Therapy Center
Community Voices
•Youth Advisory Group (YAG)
•Community Consortium
•Homestead High School’s Future
Business Leaders of America
Collaborations
•Stanford Psychiatry
•Other allcove grantees
•Wellness Coordinators in Palo Alto
Unified and Mountain View Los
Altos Union High School Districts
•Cities- Los Altos, Mountain View,
Sunnyvale, and East Palo Alto
Location:
•Palo Alto Hight School
•Gunn High School
•Greene Middle School
•Mitchell Park Library
•Alta Housing
•Little Blue House
Activities for wellness and peer
support: Slime Making, Aroma
Therapy, Mario Kart Prime, Button
making, Wellness Pop-up, Prime day
and Friendship Bracelets, Cookie
Decorating, Affirmation Bracelets,
and Gift Wrapping.
Tabling
Community Events
Location:
•Gunn High School Prime Day
•Mission College’s Self Love
•Alta Housing Spring Fair
•Annual Children’s Summit
•Palo Alto Community Health Fair
•allcove Palo Alto's Annual Open
House
•allcove Palo Alto's Art Show
•Peers Supporting Peers Panel
Topics: forming healthy
relationships; using correct
pronouns; considering alternative
career options; and learning about
sensory integration and
communication styles
Presentations &
Informal SessionsCommunity Networks
Community Outreach & Engagement
Educational Workshops
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Ongoing Efforts
•Engaging Diverse Communities - Efforts are underway to
increase outreach and activities for diverse communities, such
as Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Black/African
Americans, and neurodiverse populations.
•Developing New Partnerships - BHSD has been developing
partnerships with more organizations that serve diverse and
hard-to-reach communities. The allcove team is establishing
partnerships with the Palo Alto Unified School District’s Black
Student Union, Mekong Community Center, Fresh Lifelines for
Youth (FLY), Little Blue House, and other organizations to plan
events and activities to attract youth.
•Sustainability and Funding Outlook - Since the allcove
implementation, BHSD has been working closely with the
Commission for Behavioral Health, formerly the Mental Health
Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC)
and their consultants, Stanford Psychiatry CYMHW, and other
allcove grantees to explore strategies to support allcove
program sustainability.
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