Governor Newsom has announced new funding through LA Rises to support youth mental health services for teenagers and young people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) partnered with the Child Mind Institute to launch a specialized digital tool called Mirror. The app delivers wildfire and disaster relief journaling prompts designed to help young people process trauma and manage the stress, anxiety, and emotional fallout from disaster exposure.
Mirror works through guided journaling combined with mood tracking features. Teens and young people write responses to prompts tailored to wildfire recovery, then track their emotional state over time. The tool gives families a structured way to address mental health without requiring in-person therapy access, which becomes critical when disaster overwhelms local mental health systems.
The results show real uptake. More than 4,500 young people have already created entries in Mirror, meaning thousands of teenagers are actively using the tool to seek calm and emotional support during recovery.
This approach addresses a concrete problem. Disasters displace therapists, destroy clinics, and create sudden surges in demand for mental health care. A digital journaling tool doesn't replace therapy, but it bridges the gap. Research from the Child Mind Institute and other organizations shows that guided journaling reduces anxiety and helps young people develop emotional awareness during crisis periods.
The LA Rises funding pushes beyond digital tools alone. The broader initiative aims to expand access to counseling, psychiatric services, and community mental health support for firestorm survivors. Young people face particular vulnerability after disaster. They may experience nightmares, hypervigilance, school avoidance, or emotional numbness. Early intervention through both digital and in-person services reduces the risk of long-term trauma and depression.
For families in affected areas, Mirror offers an immediate resource available on smartphones. Parents can encourage teenagers to use it as a daily emotional check-in.