Care Beyond the Clinic Walls focuses on equity and health care
Irma Rosa Viera spoke at the statewide conference, Care Beyond the Clinic Walls hosted by The California School-Based Health Alliance.
School based-health providers, educators, and advocates from across California met for the 2022 statewide school health conference, Care Beyond the Clinic Walls, on Friday, April 29. The California School-Based Health Alliance hosted the statewide conference, their first in-person event since 2019, at the University of Redlands’ Orton Center.
The two-day conference was an opportunity for student healthcare professionals from across the state to learn strategies on how to improve the performance of practicing professionals working to impact the health, safety and well-being of children and their communities. The conference offered a wide range of workshops including Peer Mentoring, Screening for Psychosocial Risks & Trauma, and Starting a School Based Health Center.
It was inspirational to see a lively group of almost 300 health care professionals come together and express their commitment to strengthening our California communities by providing equitable access to quality health care for students and their families.
Keynote speaker Dr. Dana L. Cunningham, a longtime school psychologist, researcher, and practitioner in the development of application of evidence-based practices for youth of color gave a powerful presentation on “Social Justice: Catalysts and Barriers to Progress.” She spoke on the systematic (In)visible barriers that are impacting students of color and preventing them from thriving. Today, far too many students of color are faced with higher suspension and expulsion rates, offered fewer opportunities to enter gifted courses, and attend schools that must fight for scraps of funding and resources.
Dr. Cunningham emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in how we confront these issues. Communication and collaboration is key, and we must engage in difficult dialogues about race to move past our fears. Lean into the discomfort, identify systems of oppression, acknowledge what we don’t know, and speak about injustices when we see them.
To close out the conference, Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) led a delightful brainstorming session and an insightful group activity on self-reflection.
Care Beyond the Clinic Walls offered something for everyone who cares about providing quality health care services to communities regardless of income. As we continue to live through COVID, it was a great experience to get out and see some old friends and meet new ones. We are already looking forward to the 2023 conference and we hope to see you there!