On November 10, 2026, Sacramento County announced the launch of a new program called ATLAS (Access, Treatment, Linkage and Stabilization) aimed at simplifying access to behavioral health services for children and families. The program connects five components of children's behavioral health services under one coordinated system to help families navigate available resources more easily.

According to Jessica Stockton, Sacramento County Behavioral Health Program Planner, "Families shouldn't have to know how the behavioral health system works to get their child the help they need."

Press Release: Sacramento County

Reproduced in full from the Sacramento County.

Sacramento County Maps a Clearer Path to Behavioral Health Support For Youth And Families

Published on November 10, 2026

Health and Social Services

When a child is experiencing behavioral health challenges, parents, caregivers and loved ones may find themselves trapped in a maze as they navigate different systems, programs and providers OR buried under a pile of information unsure of where to start. That’s why Sacramento County is launching a new program in hopes of making that process easier. ATLAS (Access, Treatment, Linkage and Stabilization) brings services together to create clear direction and help families find the support they need before challenges become a crisis.

ATLAS connects five children’s behavioral health service components under one coordinated system. Rather than requiring families to figure out which program to contact, ATLAS is designed to create a clearer path from early support and outreach to mental health treatment and stabilization services, including support for children and youth experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns.

“Families shouldn't have to know how the behavioral health system works to get their child the help they need,” said Jessica Stockton, Sacramento County Behavioral Health Program Planner. “ATLAS brings services together so we can better connect families with the right support, make it easier to navigate available resources and help children get care earlier.”

The five core components in ATLAS include:

  • Children’s Outpatient Specialty Mental Health Services: Provides behavioral health assessments, counseling and other specialty mental health treatment, including support for youth with co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns.
  • Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS): Provides individualized behavioral support to help children and youth develop skills and address challenging behaviors.
  • Outreach and Engagement: Connects with children, youth and families to help them understand available services and get connected to care.
  • Early Intervention: Provides early support and helps connect children, youth and families to appropriate behavioral health services and resources when concerns first emerge, before needs become more serious.
  • Flexible Stabilization Supports: Offers support to help children and families maintain stability and overcome barriers to care, including those related to homelessness and housing instability.

ATLAS will bring these services together through 10 selected community-based providers sited throughout the county. This will help children and families access appropriate services and receive continued support as their needs change. The County estimates ATLAS will serve approximately 9,200 children and youth through June 2027.

ATLAS will also focus on improving access in communities with greater identified needs. The County used multiple data sources to identify ZIP codes where additional attention and coordinated services can make a difference. This approach helps bring support closer to the families who may benefit most while allowing the County to monitor referrals, provider capacity and service use as the program gets underway.

Families may be connected to ATLAS through schools, community-based organizations, other behavioral health providers, child welfare and probation partners, community outreach activities or Sacramento County behavioral health access points. Families may also be able to refer themselves.

To learn more about ATLAS and find out whether the services may be right for your family, visit the Sacramento County Behavioral Health website.

Contact Information

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Elizabeth Zelidon

Sacramento County Public Information Department