On this edition of Your Call, we continue our discussions about California's budget cuts, which could potentially eliminate funding for the Parents Anonymous’ California Parent & Youth Helpline.
In May 2020, Parents Anonymous, an organization that supports parents and their families, launched the hotline in partnership with state leadership as part of an initiative to support parents, children, and youth impacted by COVID. The helpline now operates in over 80 percent of California counties and has helped hundreds of thousands across the state for the last five years.
According to Parents Anonymous, the state legislature proposed $3 million for the organization in this year’s budget proposal, but as of Tuesday, the organization was made aware that Governor Gavin Newsom "redlined" their total budget.
"This comes as a shock as last month the Helpline had a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Technology in Human Services, which showed that 85% of callers experienced improved mood and reduced stress within a single call, proving its effectiveness."
Guest:
Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO of Parents Anonymous, which oversees the California Parent & Youth Helpline
