Our Founders' Vision
The Center for Youth Mental Health (CYMH) was founded in 2023 by Dr. Lori Butterworth and Dr. Ramona Friedman to expand access to high-quality, evidence-based mental health care for children, teens, young adults, and families. Dr. Friedman serves as Board President and Clinical Director while Dr. Butterworth is now in private practice but remains a strong supporter of CYMH.
The CYMH team continues its founders’ vision to provide compassionate, science-backed treatment, parent support, community education, and clinician training. CYMH specializes in anxiety, OCD, depression, school refusal, ADHD, trauma, and behavioral challenges using evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ERP, ACT, SPACE, and family-centered care.
Our Mission
The Center for Youth Mental Health is dedicated to expanding access to quality, evidence-based mental health care for children, teens, and young adults as quickly as possible.
Why We Exist
Too many young people struggle with mental health challenges and cannot access effective care. We exist to expand access to quality, evidence-based mental health care for children, teens, young adults, and their families.
How We Do It
We use evidence-based treatments proven to work and partner closely with parents, schools, and healthcare providers to support lasting change.
What We Do
We provide evidence-based therapy, parent coaching, family support, groups, and community education to help young people build skills, resilience, and hope.
Who We Are
CYMH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to evidence-based youth mental health care. Our team of psychologists, therapists, associates, interns, advocates, and the youth themselves is committed to making quality care accessible to every family.
Meet Our Founders
CYMH’s mission, values, and philosophy reflect the vision of its founders, who worked tirelessly to build an organization dedicated to expanding timely access to high-quality, evidence-based mental health care for youth and families.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Our mission is fueled by a dedicated team of board members, advisors, clinical supervisors, teen advisors, psychologists, therapists, trainees, and parents. Meet the people who make this work possible.
Meet Our Clinical Team
Caroline Swanson, MPH
Outreach and Program Development
Santa Cruz and San Francisco
Meet Our HCC Interns
Meet Our Youth Advisory Board
How Can We Help?
If you have questions or would like to make an appointment, please complete this form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also email kerri@cymh.org or call our SLO Center at (805) 996-0535 or our Santa Cruz Center at (831) 222-0052.
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Your donation helps provide low-cost treatment, parents programs,
scholarships, and traning opportunities.
