BILL NUMBER: SCR 114	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Liu

                        JUNE 23, 2010

   Relative to California Youth Crisis Line Awareness Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 114, as introduced, Liu. California Youth Crisis Line
Awareness Month.
   This measure would designate July 2010 as California Youth Crisis
Line Awareness Month, support the California Youth Crisis Line and
its outreach efforts to youth throughout the state, and encourage
schools and organizations to share information with young people in
their local communities about the California Youth Crisis Line.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, In 1984, in Assembly Bill 3075 (Chapter 1614 of the
Statutes of 1984), the Governor and the Legislature recognized that
there were thousands of disconnected youth living on the streets of
California and the need for a coordinated system that could connect
youth to local resources they needed such as food, shelter, clothing,
health care, and counseling, among others; and
   WHEREAS, In 1986, pursuant to Assembly Bill 3075 (Chapter 1614 of
the Statutes of 1984), the Legislature established the California
Runaway Hotline, now known as the California Youth Crisis Line; and
   WHEREAS, The California Youth Crisis Line's toll-free telephone
number is 1-800-843-5200; and
   WHEREAS, For 23 years, the California Coalition for Youth has
operated the California Youth Crisis Line 24 hours a day, seven days
a week, as the state's only emergency response system for youth in
crisis; and
   WHEREAS, The California Youth Crisis Line is an immediate,
reliable, and free service where trained counselors respond to
callers with confidential and nonjudgmental crisis-intervention
counseling and local resource referrals to assist callers; and
   WHEREAS, Given that there are over 9 million youth under 18 years
of age in California, one in eight of the nation's children, and an
additional 3 million more young adults between 18 and 24 years of
age, inclusive, the California Youth Crisis Line is a much-needed
resource; and
   WHEREAS, The California Youth Crisis Line receives approximately
24,000 calls each year, to which counselors respond with confidential
and nonjudgmental crisis-intervention counseling and provide
appropriate referrals to youth-serving agencies in callers'
communities throughout the state; and
   WHEREAS, Often the California Youth Crisis Line is the first
resource a youth in crisis can access for assistance, besides law
enforcement; and
   WHEREAS, Counselors provide resources to assist callers with
topics, including, but not limited to, family dynamics, running away,
homelessness, depression, suicide, teen pregnancy, substance abuse,
and more; and
   WHEREAS, In California, an estimated 250,000 minors and thousands
of youth between 18 and 24 years of age, inclusive, experience
homelessness each year; and
   WHEREAS, California ranks 49th in the number of homeless children
and 48th in the percentage of children who are homeless; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly 2 million children and youth in California live in
poverty and over 600,000 more live in extreme poverty; and
   WHEREAS, Of the 2.2 million children living in poverty in
California, 13 out of every 100 are homeless; and
   WHEREAS, Youth who "age out" of the foster care system are at an
increased risk of homelessness and other at-risk factors. In
California, the number of youth aging out of foster care has
increased by 55 percent from 1998 to 2008, and now over 5,200 youth
age out of the foster care system annually; and
   WHEREAS, In California, suicide is the second leading cause of
death for adolescents and young adults; and
   WHEREAS, Over 15,500 youth in California currently occupy juvenile
justice facilities and more than 1,800 youth are on parole; and
   WHEREAS, It is important that the Legislature recognizes the
critical importance of the California Youth Crisis Line to the youth
and families of California; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates July 2010
as California Youth Crisis Line Awareness Month; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature and the state support the
California Youth Crisis Line and its outreach efforts to youth
throughout the state; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature encourages schools and
organizations to share information with young people in their local
communities about the California Youth Crisis Line; and be it further

   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.