Thrive Together OC
OUR STORY
Every year, thousands of young people begin experiencing subtle changes in their thoughts, emotions, or behavior that may signal the early stages of a serious mental health condition. Too often, these warning signs go unrecognized until a crisis occurs.
Thrive Together OC (TTOC) was created to change that.
Launched in 2021 through Charitable Ventures in partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency, TTOC is dedicated to identifying youth early, connecting them to specialized care, and equipping families and providers with the knowledge and resources they need to respond with confidence.
Through an innovative partnership with leading researchers and clinicians at the University of California, Irvine, we bring evidence-based early identification and intervention services directly to our community. Our specialized consultations, screenings, assessments, referrals, family support, and provider training are offered at no cost, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent someone from accessing help.
Our work extends beyond direct services. We partner with schools, healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, and community organizations throughout Orange County to build a stronger system of care—one where youth receive support before symptoms become crises.
Since launching in 2021, Thrive Together OC has:
- Trained more than 3,200 mental health professionals and community members to recognize the early signs of psychosis.
- Screened more than 1,500 youth for early signs of psychosis risk.
- Completed more than 139 specialized psychosis-risk assessments using evidence-based practices.
- Connected youth and families to timely, specialized care before symptoms progress to a mental health crisis.
- Provided all services at no cost, ensuring equitable access regardless of a family's ability to pay.
At Thrive Together OC, we believe that early intervention changes lives. By recognizing concerns early and connecting young people to the right support at the right time, we can improve long-term outcomes, strengthen families, reduce the need for crisis services, and help youth continue pursuing their education, careers, relationships, and future goals.
Together, we're creating a community where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.
Mission Statement
Thrive Together OC strives to build resilience and improve outcomes for youth at risk for psychosis through family focused, evidence-supported, compassionate, and inclusive services. This is accomplished by:
• Screening and assessing youth and young adults,
• Consulting with individuals, families, providers, and affiliated professionals,
• Educating the community to facilitate early identification and effective care, and
• Promptly linking individuals and families to available resources and services.
Background Statement
In October 2021, Charitable Ventures received a service contract from the Orange County Health Care Agency for Early Childhood and Youth Mental Health Consultation Services. The Early Childhood & Youth Mental Health (ECYMH) Consultation Services, also known as Thrive Together OC (TTOC) is committed to early intervention, increasing timely access to services and supporting service providers working with those affected by mental health specifically those at clinical risk of psychosis.
Impact Statement
Since launching in 2021, Thrive Together OC has been building a stronger system of early identification and intervention for youth experiencing early signs of serious mental health conditions throughout Orange County.
Together with our community partners, we have:
-Trained more than 3,200 mental health professionals, educators, healthcare providers, and community members to recognize the early signs of psychosis and respond with confidence.
-Screened more than 1,500 youth for early signs of psychosis risk, helping identify concerns before they become crises.
-Completed more than 139 specialized psychosis-risk assessments, connecting youth to evidence-based care when it matters most.
-Provided hundreds of clinical consultations to support providers in making informed decisions about identification, referral, and treatment planning.
-Connected youth and families to timely, specialized services, with an average of just 4 business days from referral to screening and 9.5 business days from screening to assessment.
-Awarded more than 345 free continuing education credits to behavioral health professionals, strengthening Orange County's workforce in early psychosis care.
-Maintained a 95% provider-reported increase in knowledge and confidence to recognize early signs of psychosis, provide support, and make appropriate referrals following TTOC training.
Every consultation, screening, assessment, referral, and training brings us closer to our vision of a community where every young person has access to timely, evidence-based mental health care—before a crisis occurs.
Early intervention changes lives. Together, we're helping youth and families thrive.
Needs Statement
At Thrive Together OC, our mission is to identify and support youth at risk of early psychosis—before symptoms escalate into full-blown mental health crises. A critical part of this work involves partnering with mental health providers and community stakeholders to ensure young people are screened and connected to care as early as possible.
But here’s the challenge: while our clinical consultation services and screenings are free, engaging busy providers and encouraging timely referrals takes consistent outreach, relationship-building, and trust. Many providers simply aren’t aware of the gold-standard tools we offer—or they lack the time and support to connect their clients with our services.
To change this, we urgently need unrestricted funds to:
Incentivize mental health providers to engage in clinical consultations and refer youth for early psychosis screening.
Expand outreach to under‑reached provider networks including school counselors, private therapists, pediatricians, and community‑based organizations.
Hire additional clinical team members who can actively build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across Orange County. These staff members are essential for conducting in-person visits, offering real-time consultation, and establishing trust with providers who can connect youth to life-changing care.
Restricted grants can fund screenings or training events—but they rarely cover the behind-the-scenes work of engagement, outreach, and relationship development that makes those services possible. Unrestricted support gives us the flexibility to go where we’re needed most, when we’re needed most.
Your investment helps us reach more providers, identify more youth, and change more lives before it’s too late.
Geographic Areas Served
Orange County, California
Top Three Populations Served
- All Populations
- Households with limited English proficiency
- Latinos
Statement from the CEO/Executive Director
Thrive Together OC is a source of hope for individuals who are at risk of developing severe mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia. We have partnered with experts from the University of California, Irvine, to offer specialized services that can help prevent the development of such conditions. Our services are provided at no cost to ensure that everyone can access the care they need to stay healthy. We understand that mental health concerns can be overwhelming, so we take great pride in providing comprehensive and specialized services that address the unique needs of individuals who may be at greater risk. We also support the professional development of professionals through training and consultation services. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, come join us at Thrive Together OC, where we believe in thriving together.
CONTACT
Thrive Together OC
12431 Lewis Street
102
Garden Grove, California 92840
Raquel Williams
raquel.williams@thrivetogetheroc.org