Too few children in California have access to mental health care services. For school-aged children, locating services at school is effective and efficient: school-based health systems meet students where they are, eliminate transportation barriers, and improve both health and education outcomes. Yet few schools in the state are fully equipped to serve students' mental health needs. California should support a system of school-based mental health care with clear goals and accountability measures to improve student access. This brief identifies the need for mental health care for school-aged children in California, reviews the benefits of providing mental health support and services in schools, and makes key recommendations for State consideration that would remove barriers to school-based mental health. A comprehensive plan for student mental health should combine policies that: fund school and district staff, create an integrated education and health state-level agency, and incentivize local collaboration between counties and school districts. This report recommends the following: (1) Incentivize local coordination and support data sharing infrastructure; (2) Fund school pilot projects and Local Education Agency (LEA) coordinators with local control; and (3) Create a state-level Office of School-Based Health to establish goals and oversee Medi-Cal billing.