California: "We Need To Help Our Boys and Young Men"
A new executive order spells out just what the state intends to do to reach boys and young men, and why it's important
Hi Readers!
Thank you SO MUCH for your interest, words of encouragement, support, and suggestions for this newsletter and my upcoming book.
TALK TO YOUR BOYS: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow into Confident, Caring Young Men comes out on Sept. 9th, and my co-author and I would love it if you would place a pre-order now. One my heroes, , read an early copy and said this: “Take a deep breath. Dive in. This is the book you've been waiting for."
In today’s newsletter, I take a look at a just-announced executive order from California Governor that focuses on boys and young men. I’d love to hear what you think about what’s in it, and whether you think this is is a good idea that more states should be trying to initiate.
I hope you are well and getting some time for joy and connection this summer!
Big love,
Christopher
“Too many young men and boys are suffering in silence — disconnected from community, opportunity, and even their own families. This action is about turning that around. It’s about showing every young man that he matters and there’s a path for him of purpose, dignity, work, and real connection.”
- California Governor Gavin Newsom
California Takes Action For Boys And Young Men
This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to address the alarming rise in disconnection and suicide among boys and young men. The executive order directs state agencies to focus on this issue by create and publicizing new pathways for men and boys to get the the support, assistance, and help they need.
The order includes a number of striking bits of data that make a convincing case for the importance of this effort, including:
Men account for nearly 80 percent of all suicides, and young men are three times more likely to die by suicide than young women
Men are more likely than women to use all types of illicit drugs, and men are dying of drug overdoses at two to three times the rate of women
Depression is ranked as a leading cause of death among men, and mental health conditions often go untreated among men because they are far less likely to seek treatment than women
Young men are more disconnected from school, work, and relationships than ever before, with nearly one in four men under 30 years old reporting that they have no close friends, a five-fold increase since 1990, with higher rates of disconnection for young Black males, and a lack of social connection is associated with increased risk of poor health, including mental health disorders, poverty, and even premature death
Studies show that adolescents who spend more than three hours daily on social media face a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and a recent survey found that American teens spend more than four hours a day on social media platforms on average each day
Men have higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and cancer than women
Labor force participation among men without a college degree is at historic lows, with about one in nine men aged 25-54 neither working nor looking for work, and the unemployment rate for men in California is higher than the rate for women
College enrollment and completion rates for men have dropped significantly over the past decade
The school suspension rate for boys is more than double the rate for girls, with even higher rates for Black and American Indian and Native Alaskan boys
What Does The Order Actually Do?
The executive order directs the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) to develop recommendations to address the suicide crisis among young men.
The Governor is also ordering CalHHS to look at data to try to learn why boys and young men aren’t making full use of its services and see if changes need to be made.
The Governor is directing the Office of Service and Community Engagement to identify ways “to reconnect men and boys with pathways to enter education or the workforce, including through service opportunities.”
It directs government agencies to work together to find ways to increase the participation of men and boys in the services and activities currently being implemented under California Jobs First, the Master Plan for Career Education, the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, and the California Community Schools Partnership Program.
The order attempts to address the lack of male role models in educational settings, by directing the Executive Director of the State Board of Education to identify opportunities to improve recruitment of men as teachers and school counselors.
The order asks state education leaders to take a look at when kids start kindergarten, and consider “circumstances where it may be appropriate to delay the start of kindergarten for children.”
In addition to this executive order, The Governor also announced that the state is making $20 million available through the California Apprenticeship Council Training Funds. This funding will go to support apprenticeship training in the building trades. These apprenticeships focus on creating different career pathways that do not necessarily rely on a four-year college degree. 219,784 registered apprentices have been served thus far, and Governor Newsom says he hopes to serve 500,000 apprentices by 2029.
“Women and men face different challenges — but there are systemic barriers we can take on together. Whether it’s the shortage of male mental health providers, outdated ideas about care work, or boys falling through the cracks in school, this Executive Order is a step toward real solutions. Our young men and boys are facing a crisis of loneliness and social isolation that is showing up in their mental health, educational outcomes, future economic opportunities, and more. Raising healthy boys will take all of us—moms, dads, teachers, coaches, and mentors—working together to find new ways forward.”
- First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
The Influence Of The First Partner
It’s no surprise that First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom is quoted in the press release for this executive order: she has speaking out for a long time about the need to work with boys and men. She directed the documentary film "The Mask You Live In," which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It’s a powerful film that’s has a lot of influence. Jonathan Reed, the Director of Programs at the Canadian nonprofit Next Gen Men, cites it as an inspiration:
“A few years before I started working with Next Gen Men, Jennifer Siebel Newsom created “The Mask You Live In,” and that was a really impactful film for me. I remember seeing Ashanti Branch, the facilitator of Ever Forward Club, doing the work that he was doing with boys and young men, and I was like, that's it—that's what I want to do.”
You can now stream the film on Kanopy.
Richard Reeves and Gavin Newsom In Conversation
If you’ve read
’ book “Of Boys and Men,” you may recognize some of the ideas in this executive order. Reeves’ book, and the work he continues to do with The American Institute For Boys and Men, was clearly a big influence on this effort. Find out more about how that happened in this new conversation on the “The Is Gavin Newsom” podcast.Thanks for reading! And extra special thanks to those of you supporting Teen Health Today through a paid subscription to this Substack. The only reason that I’m able to devote so much time to this project is because of your generosity.
PS: Don’t forget to pre-order Talk To Your Boys! Now is a great time!
Recent Teen Health Today Highlights
An Inclusive, Shame-Busting, Get-Real Guide To Puberty
Talking about puberty doesn't need to be so cringe. Learn how the author of "Growing Into You!" suggests changing our approachAll boys and young men deserve realistic, comprehensive sex education
Meet The Comedian Who Is Helping Teens Deal With Their Emotions
Young people can provide crucial knowledge and support to their peers
No, Don't Show "Adolescence" In Schools
A masculinity researcher is worried that our rush to respond to the Netflix series may produce unexpected consequences
If you enjoyed this post, please forward it to someone else who might like it, and click the ❤️ or 🔁 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack. 🙏🏼
Such important work you are doing! Thank you!