Grant initiative inspires school health innovations

Grantees ready for their bus tour.

On May 14th, The Los Angeles Trust for Children's Health (The L.A. Trust) and The Los Angeles County Office of Education organized a bus tour of school-based health centers. This initiative aimed to provide grantees of a California Department of Education Community Schools grant with an in-depth look at three innovative models of school-based health delivery, with the aim of inspiring them to integrate these successful practices at their own school sites.

As the community schools movement takes hold, many are wondering what differentiates a community school from other schools. A community school serves as a hub for the community, providing educational and social services to students and their families. Community schools often have partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government agencies to provide services such as health care, counseling, and after-school programs. These schools aim to support the whole child and address the non-academic barriers to learning that students may face, such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and inadequate housing.

"Organizing this bus tour has been a transformative experience, allowing us to witness firsthand the incredible impact that school-based health centers can have on our students and their families,” said Lizette Patron, Community Schools Program Director at The L.A Trust. “By highlighting these innovative models, we hope to inspire our Community Schools grantees to adopt similar practices, creating environments where every student can succeed."

Touring Mendez High School Wellness Center

The tour included clinic visits at Mendez High School, Wilson High School, and Roybal Learning Center. Each site showcased unique approaches to promoting student health and well-being and demonstrated how Community Schools' capacity-building strategies and activities are integrated to develop and maintain thriving environments where students, families, and the community flourish.

Highlights included:

Student Panels: Engaging discussions led by students where they shared their experiences and the impact of school-based health services on their lives.

Parent Community Support: Demonstrations of strong parent engagement embody the Family and Community Engagement pillar, exemplifying a driving force for successful Community Schools.

Integration of Capacity-Building Strategies: All sites demonstrated the effectiveness and importance of strategic community partnerships and showcased their shared commitment and understanding of the community school strategy. By embodying community school values, they highlighted that the dedication of just a few individuals can ignite the development of a comprehensive school-wide strategy for student health.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Sylvia Mendez Wellness Center, the School-Based Health Center at Wilson High School, and the Wellbeing Center at Roybal Learning Center for their hospitality. Their commitment to fostering a healthy and supportive school environment is truly commendable and serves as an inspiration for all involved.

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