Quick look: OCDE’s School-Based Mental Health Summit brought together hundreds of counselors, psychologists and other professionals to prepare for the year ahead, spotlighting the vital role of wellness in student success.
As another wave of campuses reopened across Orange County this week, hundreds of mental health professionals gathered in Costa Mesa on Tuesday to exchange strategies, tools and connections — all with the goal of supporting student wellness in the year ahead.
Hosted by the Orange County Department of Education, the third annual School-Based Mental Health Summit drew more than 400 counselors, psychologists, nurses, clinicians, interns and others on the front lines of student support. The day featured a keynote address, workshops, breakout sessions and administrator discussions.
“This summit is really important because it kicks off the year with professional development for all the school-based mental health professionals,” said Mayu Iwatani, senior administrator of Mental Health and Wellness for OCDE. “In lieu of doing this at their individual districts, we’re able to bring expert speakers, and they can get all the information and tools and then connect with each other. We really hope that energizes them as they go into the next school year.”
‘This work is personal’
County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean opened the event at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa with a message of gratitude rooted in his own life experiences, recalling his childhood recovery from scoliosis surgery and his family’s experience with loss.
“For me, this work is deeply personal,” he said.
Bean described the isolation he felt as a 10-year-old confined to a body cast for nine months, unsure if he would ever catch up to his peers. What made the difference, he said, were caring adults who noticed, encouraged him and reminded him that he was more than his circumstances.
Years later, when his children lost their mother to cancer, it was counseling, encouragement and the support of the school community that helped carry them through.
“We know that the challenges today are real,” he said. “Students carry anxiety, depression, trauma and pressures that we couldn’t imagine years ago. But here’s the good news: You are not only adapting to it, but you are leading. Coming here today to this summit is proof of your leadership. And so today is about equipping ourselves with evidence-based tools, practical strategies and the courage to meet students where they are.”
Keynote and sessions
Keynote remarks were delivered by Dr. Brian Dinkins, director of educational leadership at Butler University and CEO of the Center for Empowering Education. He similarly drew from his own journey growing up in Indianapolis, where he faced academic struggles, family instability and the challenges of poverty.
With the support of educators who believed in him, Dinkins went on to attend Purdue University, where he played football for the Boilermakers alongside future NFL star Drew Brees. He later became a teacher, coach and principal, earning multiple advanced degrees — including a doctorate — before taking on his current roles as professor and national speaker.
Throughout his address, Dr. Dinkins underscored the importance of resilience and empathy — not just for students, but also for the professionals who serve them.
“I’m a firm believer that if you’re okay, then those whom we serve will be okay as well,” he said.
“Children are hopefully the heartbeat of your purpose,” Dinkins added. “But if we’re not taking care of the adults the same way that we take care of children, then we oftentimes find ourselves depleted.”
A growing movement
Since it was launched three years ago by OCDE’s Regional Mental Health Coordinators with funding from the Mental Health Student Services Act, the annual summit has grown by about 80 to 100 attendees annually.
Organizers say their goal is to continue expanding to include neighboring counties and to practitioners across sectors, including private providers.
By equipping professionals with tools, fostering collaboration and emphasizing wellness as central to education, the School-Based Mental Health Summit has become an essential part of back-to-school preparation in Orange County.
“Mental health care is not an extra in education,” County Superintendent Bean said. “It is an essential in education. Because when a child is seen, heard and supported, even in their darkest season, they can heal, they can grow and they can find their strength again.”