Success Case Studies of Four Newly Launched States Supporting the Youth Mental Health Corps

WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility conducted comprehensive success case studies of four inaugural Youth Mental Health Corps (YMHC) sites to document early implementation successes and identify promising practices. This research initiative examines how YMHC programs address youth mental health needs while creating workforce development opportunities in the mental health sector. Through in-depth interviews and data analysis across four states, the study captures real-world examples of effective program implementation, community partnerships, and innovative approaches that support both youth well-being and career pathway development in healthcare.

The Challenge

Youth across communities face significant mental health challenges with limited access to support services. Simultaneously, there’s a critical shortage of mental health professionals in the workforce. The Youth Mental Health Corps addresses this dual challenge by deploying trained AmeriCorps members to work directly within schools and community organizations, providing vital mental health support while creating pathways for young adults to enter the mental health workforce. The challenge was documenting and understanding how these newly launched programs could successfully implement this innovative model across diverse community contexts.

How We’re Taking Action:

WestEd applied rigorous success case methodology to examine four YMHC pilot sites across its four inaugural states. Our comprehensive approach included:

Research Design & Data Collection:

  • Developed customized interview protocols aligned with four key research questions
  • Conducted onsite and online interviews with YMHC coordinators and key stakeholders (AmeriCorps volunteers, educators, community members)
  • Collected site materials including scopes of work, enrollment data, and program documentation
  • Applied flexible data collection strategies tailored to each site’s unique implementation context

Analysis & Synthesis:

  • Used thematic analysis to identify patterns and promising practices across sites
  • Coded themes found across all data points and documentation
  • Generated actionable insights about drivers of success for YMHC implementation

Knowledge Sharing:

  • Created four individual case studies (8-10 pages each) highlighting unique contexts and practices
  • Developed one consolidated booklet profiling all sites with cross-site analysis for year one implementation
  • Designed presentation materials for funders and stakeholders
  • Ensured accessibility for audiences with varying research experience

Resources:

WestEd captured pilot program data to create powerful success stories that are opening doors with funders, policymakers, and community partners we are trying to reach to support this national initiative. Their rigorous methodology surfaced the early impact of the initiative, while their compelling case studies made the complex impact of our work accessible to everyone from investors to school boards. This is research as strategic communication to drive program growth.

Marie Groark Managing Director, Schultz Family Foundation

What Makes Us Different

Strategic Storytelling That Opens Doors: We transform program data into compelling narratives that resonate with funders, policymakers, and community partners, creating strategic assets that drive program growth and policy change.

 

Local Stories, National Impact: Our methodology connects individual success stories to broader implementation insights, identifying which program elements are essential versus which can be locally adapted for maximum scalability.

 

Evidence That Drives Action: We go beyond traditional evaluation to create resources that help organizations secure funding, influence policy, and replicate successful practices across diverse contexts.