About Us
About the Open Doors Project
Open Doors has developed an innovative training program designed to empower non-medical youth-serving adults across California. This comprehensive training is designed to strengthen their knowledge of when and how to engage with young people around the topics of substance use and other behavioral health concerns.
By providing them with the knowledge and tools to empower youth in their journey to manage substance use and other behavioral health concerns, we aim to create a network of informed and proactive individuals capable of making a significant impact.
Our collaboration reflects a commitment to address the current public health crisis and lay the groundwork for a safer, more supportive environment for youth.
About the Open Doors Collaborators
At the heart of our initiative is a collaboration between The Catalyst Center and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). This collaboration, generously funded by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), is dedicated to addressing the critical challenge of substance use among youth—a concern magnified by the impact of overdose deaths across the state and the severe reduction of accessible resources for California's youth.
HCAI is committed to expanding equitable access to health care for all Californians-ensuring every community has the health workforce they need, safe and reliable health care facilities, and health information that can help make care more effective and affordable. Through funding the Open Doors Training Project, HCAI is investing in building the capacity of adults to support youth with substance use and behavioral health challenges, further advancing their mission to create healthier, more resilient communities across the state.
Website: hcai.ca.gov
The Catalyst Center is a leading training and technical assistance organization representing the interests of child and family serving professionals in the state of California and beyond.
The Catalyst is committed to advancing evidence-based innovations that support diverse communities, and dedicated to research and evaluation that promotes social justice in these fields. As one of the cornerstones of this work, our resource center prioritizes research, capacity building, and peer connection methods that elevate the voices and realities of historically marginalized communities and those that are most impacted by the work of community-based organizations.
Media contact: Andy Rolleri, ar******@**fs.org
Website: catalystcenter.org
The Open Doors Project was initially shaped by collaboration between the California Alliance of Child and Family Services' (CACFS) Catalyst Center and the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives (CAADPE). In June 2025, CACFS' collaboration with CAADPE concluded, and CACFS thanks CAADPE for its contribution to the development of the project. Both organizations remain proud of what has been accomplished through Open Doors to date and share a continued commitment to supporting youth, families, and adults who serve them.
Website: caadpe.org