The Catalyst Center

09/23/2026

Three years of learning, growth, connection, and new possibilities. 🎓

As we celebrate the first graduating cohort of the Catalyst for Wellness in Community (CWC) Apprenticeship Program, we asked our graduates to reflect on what this journey has meant.

The CWC Apprenticeship Program creates earn-and-learn pathways into behavioral health careers through paid on-the-job experience, education, mentorship, and professional development.

Watch this video to learn about our inaugural graduates and hear their stories. 🎥

Learn more about this program at catalyst-center.org/apprenticeship.

Special thanks to Chabot College for hosting our amazing graduates!

09/10/2026

We're proud to share that our very own Open Doors Training program has been awarded $200,000 through the Opioid and Stimulant Use Disorder Prevention and Education program.

This grant, funded through the California Department of Health Care Services ' State Opioid Response IV grant, will support evidence-based training for non-medical youth-serving professionals and trusted adults across Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity counties. The training will help equip caring adults to recognize early signs of youth substance use, engage young people in supportive, stigma-free conversations, and connect them to prevention and treatment resources.

Congratulations to the entire Open Doors team on this recognition of your work supporting children, youth, and families across the State.

See the full list of awardees at

Opioid and Stimulant Use Disorder Prevention and Education (September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027) The Opioid and Stimulant Use Disorder Prevention and Education program works to support awareness, outreach and education addressing opioids and stimulants, as well as polysubstance use, and strengthen...

09/10/2026

We did it! 🎓🎉

Yesterday, we celebrated a major milestone for the Catalyst for Wellness in Community (CWC) Apprenticeship Program… the graduation of our inaugural cohort!

Three years ago, our first apprentices began an earn-and-learn journey combining paid on-the-job experience, education, mentorship, and professional development as they built careers in behavioral health.

We came together at Chabot College to recognize how far they’ve come.

This milestone belongs not only to our graduates, but to the employers, educators, mentors, partners, families, and supporters who have helped make their journeys possible.

To our first CWC graduates: congratulations!

We are incredibly proud of what you’ve accomplished… and excited to see where you go next. ❤️

Learn more about the CWC Apprenticeship Program at catalyst-center.org/apprenticeship.

09/08/2026

Tomorrow, we’re celebrating a major milestone! 🎓

Three years ago, the inaugural cohort of the Catalyst for Wellness in Community (CWC) Apprenticeship Program began their journey. Now, as apprentices complete the program throughout 2026, we’re bringing the cohort together to celebrate just how far they’ve come.

The CWC Apprenticeship Program creates earn-and-learn pathways into behavioral health careers, combining paid on-the-job experience, education, mentorship, and professional development.

The program expands access to the field — including for people with lived experience and those from nontraditional educational backgrounds — while strengthening California’s behavioral health workforce.

Congratulations to our 2026 graduates! We can’t wait to celebrate you. 🎉 Special thanks to Chabot College for being a part of this journey.

Learn more about the CWC Apprenticeship Program at catalyst-center.org/cwcapprenticeship.

07/25/2026

Stronger Together 2026 is a little over a month away, and we are very excited about the keynote lineup we are bringing to Anaheim.

Dee Hankins spent 18 years in the foster care system before dedicating his career to helping others rise after trauma and find their footing on the path to high performance. Dr. Thema Bryant is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and former president of the American Psychological Association whose life's work sits at the intersection of trauma, healing, and liberation. And Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing , will bring a candid national perspective on where federal policy and funding are heading for our field and what it means for the organizations doing this work every day.

Three voices. Three perspectives. One conference.

August 31 - September 3, Anaheim Marriott. Registration is open now.

https://web.cvent.com/event/72a12e0b-7996-4626-8764-cef9024f2c3a/websitePage:74e87f82-6fde-4189-8ea8-544140eba0a2

07/17/2026

July is Disability Pride Month, observed annually to celebrate disability identity, promote inclusion, and
honor the ongoing fight for equal rights. This year’s theme, “The World Works Better With Us,” was chosen
by The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates and reflects a fundamental truth: communities are stronger
when everyone is included, respected, and supported.

This month, we celebrate the children, families, providers, and advocates working to build a more inclusive
child welfare system, and we reaffirm our commitment to care that sees and supports every young person
fully.

07/14/2026

July is BIPOC Mental Health Month. This year’s theme, “Strength in Communities,” reflects
what our members know deeply: healing happens when we all work together. For BIPOC
children, youth, and families, culturally responsive care is not optional; it is essential.

07/09/2026

Yesterday was the first stop on our Listening & Learning Tour, and what a great start. We gathered with member leaders in Sacramento for an honest conversation about what's working, what's challenging, and what our members need most. Our team shared updates on policy and advocacy, the Catalyst Center, and our upcoming Stronger Together conference this fall. But the real value came from listening. Being in the room with the people and organizations doing this work, hearing their questions in-person, is something no email or call can replace.

Thank you to Redwood Community Services for hosting and to Kooth UK for sponsoring. This tour stop wouldn't be possible without your support.

06/28/2026

The work of healing children and families starts with the people doing the work.

That is why we are so excited to welcome Dr. Thema Bryant to the Stronger Together 2026 keynote stage. Dr. Bryant is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and the former president of the American Psychological Association whose work centers on trauma recovery, healing from oppression, and helping people reconnect with their most authentic selves.

Her message is one our field needs to hear right now. The professionals who serve California's most vulnerable children and families carry a burden that does not get talked about enough. Dr. Bryant has spent her career creating the language and the tools to address exactly that.

Join us in Anaheim this August 31 — September 3. This is shaping up to be our strongest conference ever, and Dr. Bryant is a big reason why.

Registration is open now. https://web.cvent.com/event/72a12e0b-7996-4626-8764-cef9024f2c3a/websitePage:74e87f82-6fde-4189-8ea8-544140eba0a2