CALIFORNIA — The Thrive Act, also known as the Trauma Healing and Resilience Investment for Victimized and Exposed Youth Act, has passed the California Assembly floor and is now under review by the California Senate's health and judiciary committee. The bill proposes establishing a pilot program to provide counseling and mental health resources to individuals under 25 who have been shot, lost a family member to gun violence, or witnessed a shooting. The services would be available regardless of immigration status.

California Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, a Democrat whose district includes parts of south Los Angeles, coauthored the Thrive Act with Democratic assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Mialisa Bonta, and Maggy Krell. Youth Alive, an Oakland-based gun violence intervention nonprofit, and Californians for Safety and Justice are sponsors of the legislation. The Thrive Act proposes using state grants to implement pilot mental health programs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Solano, and Alameda counties.

Marvin Pérez, 25, who was shot in the left leg two years ago in Oakland, received counseling services from Youth Alive. A bullet remains lodged in his leg. Pérez said, "The emotional and psychological problems I faced were so big, I couldn't handle it on my own." He added, "It was a turning point in my life because for the first time, I had someone who I could tell my problems to and who wouldn't judge me."

Gabriel Garcia, policy and advocacy director at Youth Alive, discussed the challenges many youth face in accessing support. "So many youth go through these [traumatic] things and are expected to try to navigate a complicated bureaucracy, stacks of paperwork in order to get seen," Garcia said. He also stated, "When we're talking about mass shootings, we focus on communities where there isn't a normalization of gun violence, but ultimately, the individuals that are most impacted are coming from communities like ours in Oakland."

Elhawary stated that the Thrive Act seeks to address the cycle of violence. "We're ensuring that we're not continuing the cycle of violence because oftentimes folks see that their mode of coping is retaliation," Elhawary said. She noted that despite a decline in gun violence over the years, "We've seen gun violence decline over the years, which is great, but that doesn't mean it's totally over." Elhawary also indicated that assemblymembers are supportive of the bill. She commented, "They [assemblymembers] are supportive of the bill. It's just how we get to the point where it then becomes a priority in terms of what we invest in, in terms of the budget."

Firearm violence is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the U.S. Approximately 5,000 children are injured or killed by firearms each year in the U.S., according to research from the University of Texas Medical Branch. About three in five children nationally do not receive mental health services after a firearm injury. Last year, a mass shooting occurred at a child's birthday party in Stockton, California. Three children, ages 8, 9, and 14, and a 21-year-old were killed in that incident. Eleven people sustained injuries.

The Thrive Act addresses the mental health consequences of gun violence for young people in California, particularly those under 25 and regardless of immigration status. Its passage through the Assembly and current review in the Senate indicates legislative action aimed at providing resources to communities disproportionately affected by gun violence. The proposed pilot programs in specific counties reflect an effort to implement targeted interventions.