FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAGUNA BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONTACT: ANAKAREN URENO
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT
949-497-7700 EXT. 5232

May 5, 2023

Laguna Beach Unified School District announces 24/7/365 mental health care coordination service for students, staff and families

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) today announced its selection of Care Solace, an organization determined to calm the chaos of mental health care coordination, to expand access to community mental health and substance use treatment providers for students, staff, and families. 

With Care Solace, families and staff gain access to a dedicated Care Companion™ to navigate the mental health care system on their behalf, calling providers to find the right fit and availability. They help families with private insurance, Medicaid, and no insurance and are available 24/7/365 in any language.

“Increased student needs for mental health care demand that we continue to identify opportunities to integrate these services into our school settings where students can easily and readily access them,” said Superintendent and Chair of the Orange County Superintendents’ Mental Health Workgroup Jason Viloria, Ed.D. “In recent years, adding resources to meet students’ social, emotional and behavioral needs has become an even greater priority for schools in Orange County. Partnerships with organizations such as Care Solace introduce new layers of support to our already robust school-based mental health support systems,” he concluded. 

Care Solace’s care navigation system uses proprietary technology and a vast database of behavioral and mental health care resources to find carefully verified therapists and programs in minutes.

“We believe that social-emotional well-being is essential for learning and success. With CareSolace, our team of school psychologists, school counselors, and student support specialists can extend our impact and reach to ensure students, families, and staff have timely access to qualified mental health care,” said Director of Social and Emotional Support Michael Keller, Ed.D. “This resource helps simplify the complexity of accessing high-quality care services while families are in crisis,” he concluded. 

In collaboration with families, educators and community partners, the Orange County Department of Education in April introduced the “Empowering Students to Thrive in Education, Career and Life” strategic vision that describes how local communities can work together to ensure children are thriving in all aspects of their lives. The comprehensive 50-page report, spearheaded by the Orange County Superintendents’ Mental Health Workgroup, outlines shared objectives for the health, well-being and success of students. It also provides examples of effective partnerships and supports that are currently contributing to student thriving, which is defined as flourishing physically, socially, emotionally and academically.

The Care Solace service is now available at no cost to Laguna Beach Unified School District students, staff, and their families. For more information about Care Solace, please visit https://www.caresolace.org.

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