Abstract
The purpose of this project was to examine staff perspectives on the strengths and challenges of supporting the behavioral health needs of transition age youth (TAY) within the California Conservation Corps (CCC). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze responses from 12 interviews. Participants from six CCC centers across California were selected using a snowball sampling method. Three themes emerged in the findings: behavioral health needs of TAY today, center level similarity and variation in behavioral health support, and cultural shift within the CCC. One major finding in this study was a cultural shift within the CCC toward a more supportive and corpsmember-centered approach, though variation in resources and implementation across centers remains a challenge. The implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.