California Coalition for Youth

Almost 300,000 youth up to the age of 18 and many thousands more between the ages of 18-24 experience homelessness and lack the services they need each year in our state, and we are their voice at the state-wide level. CCY is a thirty-five-year-old grassroots non-profit organization located in Sacramento that as a statewide coalition takes positions on, and advocates for, public policies, programs, and services that empower and improve the lives of all California's youth ages 12-24. CCY represents youth and community agencies throughout California that focus on and serve disconnected, homeless, and runaway youth.

Additionally, CCY operates the CYCL, the statewide, toll-free, 24-hour, confidential hotline available to teens and young adults ages 12-24 and/or any adults and families supporting youth. Whether someone is in crisis or just needs someone to talk to, they can call/text 1-800-843-5200 or reach out to one of our counselors online via our online chat window. CYCL is also an immediate, reliable, and free link between youth and local services, we help callers find homeless youth shelters, youth-serving medical clinics, on-going counseling services, and much more, throughout all of California. Our trained counselors provide emergency response to youth who experience crises related to homelessness, family conflict, suicide, sexual assault, domestic or relationship violence, human trafficking, self-harm, LGTBQ issues, and more. Today, crisis counselors field approximately 20,000 calls annually, providing confidential and non-judgmental crisis-intervention counseling and resource referrals.

CCY also organizes the annual Youth Summit brings together transition-aged youth and the dedicated youth advocates and community providers that serve them for three days of fun, advocacy, and leadership development. The goal of the conference is to build knowledge, provide insight, and share best practices that develop the skills and resources youth need on their path to successful adulthood. They learn how to tell their stories, how to advocate for programs and services, what the current bills are in the Legislature, and on the final day spend a day of advocacy at the Capitol meeting with legislators and their staffs.