The L.A. Trust updates Youth Advisor program with student input

The youth advisors providing useful insights with the L.A. Trust advocacy team.

The L.A. Trust’s Youth Advisor Program was started in 2019 as a way to provide students with a voice and pathway to impact healthy policy decisions for their communities and beyond.

Youth Advisors were asked to join the School Health Policy Roundtable, a collaborative initiative that brings together healthcare and education leaders to help shape policies impacting student wellness. This model worked well, but both the Youth Advisors and The L.A. Trust were looking for ways to deepen the involvement and contribution of the Youth Advisors.

Program participants wanted more input on how health policies are implemented on the ground and The L.A. Trust took action. Earlier this year, The L.A. Trust recruited three young people with an array of youth leadership experience to act as consultants in redesigning key aspects of the Youth Advisor program such as training and leadership development, adult mentorship, and how young people participate in the collaborative. This collaboration led to an independent model for the program that allows student participants to tackle meaningful projects while providing them with foundational advocacy skills and building their understanding of school-based health.  

A new cohort of Youth Advisors has already begun where 5 participants are learning about school-based health to ground their own advocacy work in this sector. Youth Advisors are learning about new provider positions including Wellness Coaches and Peer Support Specialists aimed at improving youth mental health by expanding the type of care young people can receive. Youth Advisors will explore how schools are taking advantage of these emerging changes in school-based health and their initial impact on student well-being.

Recognizing that the well-being of students is paramount to achieving success, young people are uniquely positioned to provide insight into how traditionally adult spaces can be inclusive of youth voice and participation. The L.A. Trust is excited about the Youth Advisors Program progressing and looks forward to working with them in shaping policies that positively impact the future.

A big win for The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health

Student Advisory Board members set up peer to peer student health campaign.

The L.A. Trust is thrilled to announce that it will be part of a $4 billion investment in the newly launched California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP).  The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Community Schools Initiative invited The L.A. Trust and UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools (CTS) to partner in a bid to become one of the eight Regional Technical Assistance Centers in the state to receive funding. It was announced last November that our proposal was awarded as part of $58 million in contracts.  

These historic grants will strengthen current County Offices of Education efforts to grow community schools by providing technical assistance in everything from fundraising to setting up peer-to-peer student health campaigns. Schools that wish to transition to community schools (and who need guidance in applying for funds to do so), as well as schools that have already begun functioning as community schools, are eligible for this technical assistance. 

As the community schools movement takes hold, many are wondering what differentiates a community school from a charter, a traditional, or other type of school. 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.    

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said. “These Regional Technical Assistance Centers (RTACs) will work on the ground with local educational agencies and school sites to provide essential guidance. This is the moment for us to double down on our commitment to transform public education through the implementation of the CCSPP." 

Community schools are a key initiative of California’s historic transformation of public schools that includes universal free school meals; universal transitional kindergarten; before- and after-school learning; and investments in teacher training, coaching, recruitment, and retention. 

Community schools have existed for years, but the CCSSP is California’s first statewide initiative to provide funding, support, and standardization of the program through common guiding pillars: integrated services, including trauma-informed health services; expanded learning time and opportunities; collaborative leadership and practices for educators and administrators to support school climate; and engaging students, families, and the community. 

Research shows that community schools can result in better school attendance, better grades and test scores, higher enrollment in college-prep classes, and higher graduation rates. The L.A. Trust is grateful for the vote of confidence from LACOE and the opportunity to increase our service footprint. We are excited and inspired to expand and implement our mission. Let’s get to work! 

Seeking to reach more teens with TikTok grant

The L.A. Trust will pilot the TikTok Challenge with the Carson High School SAB.

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health was recently awarded a six-month, $21,000 grant from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and the Community Ambassador Network (CAN) Youth program to help reach students on the TikTok social media platform who may be suffering from emotional or mental distress.  In late 2021, TikTok rolled out new resources to support the well-being of its hundreds of millions of users, most of whom are teens and young adults. The resources include in-app videos that address “youth signs of struggling” and “youth steps to create a connection,” with an aim toward helping people who are dealing with mental health issues.

The CAN Youth Program TikTok Grant will be used by The L.A. Trust’s Student Advisory Boards (SAB) to spearhead a TikTok Challenge aimed at increasing mental health awareness and promotion among Los Angeles County youth. The L.A. Trust will pilot the TikTok Challenge with the Carson High School SAB.

“This is another great opportunity to engage our Student Advisory Boards and get our youth involved in creating a positive, healthy impact in their schools and their communities,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director at The L.A. Trust. “The creativity of our students knows no bounds and we look forward to creating exciting new content - for students, by students.”

The L.A. Trust Student Advisory Boards are led by volunteer student health advocates who can hone their leadership skills by mentoring and training their peers. This social media investment aims to help educate teens on mental illness by developing and vetting a compilation of approved video messages for wellness, “how to help a friend;” “where to find support;” “you are not alone;” and “the teen line.”

Silent epidemic of mental illness

The mental health and well-being of students has gained greater urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth data from Mental Health America found that 60% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. Youth experiencing mental health episodes continue to go untreated. Twenty-one percent of youth aged 13 to 18 live with mental illness severe enough to cause significant impairment in their daily lives. Three out of four children with mental health needs in California do not receive treatment.

Why TikTok

The pandemic has shown just how effective TikTok can be when trying to reach youth. Powered by a highly personalized content recommendation system, the TikTok video platform has broken download records, quickly becoming the go-to app for connecting with teenagers. Recently, TikTok rolled out some new restrictions on DMs for teens to make sure the app is safe and available for every age. The platform also gives teenagers a place to learn more about anxiety, sexuality, depression, and relationship abuse.

We at The L.A. Trust welcome the opportunity to incorporate a new creative channel to further reach our youth and help them communicate with each other on such an important topic as mental health. Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming TikTok campaigns.

Foundations sustain The L.A. Trust through COVID-19

Ballmer Group is among the foundations that have stepped up to support the work of The L.A. Trust during the coronavirus pandemic. 

In the midst of the suffering and uncertainty of our multiple pandemics, the outpouring of community support from the philanthropic world has been heartening and reassuring. We continue to receive grants that make the difference for students between empty days and much-needed healing and enrichment. The following funders have committed grants this past quarter to benefit those we serve:   

Ballmer Group notified us of their intention to invest on a large scale in student mental health through a two-year, $300,000 grant that will support our Student Mental Health Initiative, including Youth Mental Health Collaboratives. The purpose of The L.A. Trust project is to increase mental health education and prevention among Los Angeles Unified students within the Wellness Network by launching a collaborative made up of LAUSD leaders, Wellness Center staff, and community mental health organizations to identify and resolve obstacles to care. Student input will be a key component informing the group’s work. The group will also advocate for needed policy change at the district and county level. Much like our Wellness Network Learning Collaborative, our Oral Health Advisory Board and Data xChange Expert Advisory Council, this collaborative aims to improve students’ well-being through increased cooperation among stakeholders.  

Ballmer Group supports efforts to improve economic mobility for children and families in the United States who are disproportionately likely to remain in poverty. This generous grant reflects their belief that building pathways to opportunity requires broad, systemic change.  

Dignity Health is also making a significant investment in mental health, through a three-year effort funded in part by UniHealth Foundation to increase the awareness, skills and capacity of local community organizations and individuals to identify mental distress, address the impacts of trauma, reduce stigma and increase resiliency via delivery of mental health awareness education. The project focuses on children and youth of color and the adults who care for them in areas where high health disparities persist. Through a grant of $65,000, The L.A. Trust is joining in the second year of the project and will train after-school and academic support programs in Youth Mental Health First Aid and students in peer-to-peer outreach. We’re honored to work with the many organizations pioneering this effort.   

FCancer awarded The L.A. Trust $12,000 to expand HPV education and increase HPV vaccinations during the fall semester at the schools we serve. This is an extension of FCancer’s Take a Shot campaign. FCancer is dedicated to prevention, early detection, and providing emotional support to those affected by cancer. We have been working with FCancer since 2016 and are proud to continue this key cancer prevention initiative in spite of the limitations imposed by COVID-19 precautions.  

QueensCare is partnering with us for the first time through a $50,000 grant to support oral health education for children and their caregivers associated with nine local elementary schools. The L.A. Trust will share information via educational branded videos and live video chats with our community members. A nonprofit organization with compassion at its core, QueensCare offers direct patient care through a mobile dental program at many LAUSD schools and in the community. Understanding that tooth decay is the most pervasive, yet preventable, chronic disease among children in the United States, we are very grateful to continue our long-standing commitment to oral health for children through this grant. The support from QueensCare comes at a critical point in the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing The L.A. Trust to deliver much-needed educational outreach when many cannot access adequate dental care.  

Satterberg Foundation has been a key supporter over the last three years through its seminal Core Support Grants. The Foundation recently let us know that they intend to provide another five years of general operating support in the form of $125,000 a year. The mission of the Seattle-based foundation is to promote a just society and a sustainable environment. The founders, board members, and staff of the Satterberg Foundation have a highly progressive, inclusive approach to grant-making. Their goal is to help organizations achieve their goals, to adapt to change, to innovate and to improve their ability to serve the community. They have been foundational in The L.A. Trust’s growth over the past three years, and we’re deeply honored to be continuing this relationship.  

Our current times illuminate with great clarity the ways in which all of us are interconnected. The interdependence of student services, social progress, and philanthropy can be seen in these generous grants from committed, forward-thinking institutions. We remain grateful for and inspired by these sustaining relationships.

Board members of The L.A. Trust will work up a sweat to raise funds

Board members and supporters of The L.A. Trust are challenging their friends and colleagues to sponsor them in a fall fundraiser Up to Us.

Board members and other supporters of The L.A. Trust will be biking, running, walking, swimming and participating in other activities November 16-29 to raise funds as part of the organization’s Thanksgiving fundraising campaign, “Up to Us: The L.A. Trust.”

Donate now

The participants are asking friends and colleagues to help them meet the campaign’s goal of $15,000. All donations will go to The L.A. Trust to support its student and community activities, including prevention education, Oral Health Initiative, research and best practices, mental and behavioral health, Wellness Center support and other needs.

“The coronavirus has required us to devise new ways to continue preventive healthcare education and access at a time we need it most,” said Will Grice of Kaiser Permanente, board president of The L.A. Trust. “The mission of The L.A. Trust is to bridge the gap in healthcare in our underserved communities, and that mission is more important now than ever.” 

To sponsor a Board member or supporter Donate Now. To register as a Truster and ask your friends and colleagues to support your activity Register Now.

Eight major grants will power The L.A. Trust’s mission

New grants will fuel objectives of The L.A. Trust, including youth engagement. Participants in this year’s Youth to Youth Summit shown above. 

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health is pleased to announce a series of grants that will help the organization meet its mission in the coming month and years. “During this global health crisis, the world needs these givers more than ever,” said Anna Baum, director of development and communications for The L.A. Trust. “We’re grateful they have placed their trust in us.” 

Baum reported:

The Weingart Foundation is supporting our mission with a $125,000 unrestricted operating support grant which we plan to use to support organizational planning and staff development as well as the Data xChange. We’re very pleased to partner with this foundation for the first time, which has helped nonprofits reach underserved communities for over 50 years.  

We’re very happy to announce another first-time partnership, with UniHealth Foundation to further work on our groundbreaking Data xChange.  UniHealth has been supporting nonprofit, community-based hospitals and health organizations for over 20 years. This two-year, $200,000 grant will allow us to continue integrating Wellness Network health services data with LAUSD academic data. 

Two major forces in the Los Angeles area healthcare arena have stepped up to provide relief to teens through a new initiative to be deployed next school year: The L.A. Trust’s School-Based Mental Health Education & Awareness Program. Health Net committed $50,000 and Cedars-Sinai $100,000 to this program, which is in the planning phase. By building capacity among students as peer leaders through our Student Advisory Boards, the program seeks to increase awareness of symptoms like anxiety and depression, and to increase positive coping mechanisms as well as self-referrals to care. The mental health crisis among our underserved youth can only be addressed through the prescience and generosity of funders like Cedars-Sinai and Health Net.  

The Annenberg Foundation has made an unrestricted operating support grant to further our mission to improve student health and increase readiness to learn.  We’re very pleased to be partnering with Annenberg, which has demonstrated its commitment to education and well-being for over 30 years. 

Last fall The Ahmanson Foundation awarded us a grant for furnishings and computers at Roybal Learning Center where over half the staff is located. This has already proved extremely helpful as we transition to remote work plans, and will be even more so when we reconvene on campus. 

Two recent grants have buoyed our activities: Insperity, our human resources services company, awarded a grant to support our Student Advisory Boards. The California Credit Union awarded a grant that will helps us upgrade and maintain key technical platforms like QuickBooks. These timely grants will support our student outreach during the current LAUSD closures, as well as into the coming school year.  

In addition to awarding these generous grants, all the funders acknowledged here have announced flexibility in regard to dates and fund restrictions in light of the COVID-19 environment. We applaud the efforts of our funders and express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who make these grants possible, Baum said. 

Eight new grants will drive The L.A. Trust mission

The Los Angeles Trust is proud to announce eight new grants from partners who understand the critical health-related needs and issues facing students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Several of these partners came forward earlier in this school year to lend support to our mission.

Long-time partner Kaiser Permanente awarded a $500,000 grant over two years to fund three initiatives: Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL); our Oral Health Initiative; and the groundbreaking Data xChange.  HEAL is Kaiser Permanente’s multi-faceted, integrated strategy to achieve long-term sustainable reductions in obesity and related chronic illnesses; funds for the Oral Health Initiative will support education and dental screening for kindergarteners as well as parent and caregiver education; and the Data xChange funding will make it possible for us to integrate academic data with Wellness Center health data.  Kaiser Permanente’s beneficent support continues to be a mainstay of our work.

Another exciting development is the continuation of work on SBIRT coordination (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) at five Wellness Centers.  This is an impactful four-year grant from the California Community Foundation to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, with which we partner to increase screenings and improve data collection. With the legalization of cannabis, and with vaping and drug use on the rise in our schools, this work is more important than ever.

DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement (DentaQuest Partnership) has remained a major supporter this year, with three generous grants to support improvement of oral healthcare delivery in Los Angeles and beyond.  We received $125,800 for the Oral Health Initiative to increase our oral health policy advocacy, the oral health build-out of the Data xChange, and to increase student participation at the elementary school dental screenings we facilitate.  In addition, we received $111,226 to support our participation in DentaQuest Partnership’s Oral Health Progress and Equity Network, where our staff serves as a key connector for the growing national network’s infrastructure; and $12,900 for Executive Director Maryjane Puffer to participate in the Regional Oral Health Connection Team.  We’re thrilled to continue the groundbreaking work that DentaQuest Partnership has championed for many years, addressing the pervasive but entirely preventable chronic disease of tooth decay among children in the U.S.

Cedars-Sinai is also supporting the Data xChange build-out with a $25,000 grant.  We’re very pleased to partner for the second time with Cedars-Sinai, which continues to be a champion for healthy communities.

We’re delighted to be working again with Fu*k Cancer through a $40,000 grant to raise awareness about cervical cancer prevention through HPV vaccination campaigns.  This year the program will be enhanced by increased work with the Student Advisory Boards as well as social media support provided by Fu*k Cancer.  The Data xChange will play a key role in tracking vaccination rates.

The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation awarded The L.A. Trust a general operating capacity-building grant of $75,000.  This generous support will help us strengthen the organizational infrastructure as well as support youth development and the Data xChange.

The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation is another long-time supporter that recently granted The L.A. Trust general operating funds in the form of a $15,000 grant.

Kaiser grants $500,000 to The L.A. Trust for new solutions

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has announced a two-year, $500,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente to provide healthcare programs, foster healthy habits and generate insights to improve student health in Los Angeles public schools.

A portion of the grant will underwrite an innovative new Data xChange initiative that will link healthcare and educational performance data to find ways to improve healthcare strategies and educational outcomes. 

“This major grant will not only help us deliver on our promise of improving the health of the LAUSD communities we serve, it will give us the insights we need to design programs and services that connect better healthcare to improved educational performance,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust.

Kaiser fully committed

Will Grice

“At Kaiser Permanente we are committed to helping everyone in our communities achieve total health,” said Will Grice, senior vice president and area manager, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center.“That is why, through this grant, we’re proud to support The L.A. Trust in their efforts to increase access to oral health education, screenings and referrals for LAUSD students and their families, integrate healthy eating, active living programs into schools, and implement a system that measures the impact of health services on academic performance and attendance,” Grice said. “Together, we can work to reduce the disparity in access to quality health care in our communities.”

The mission of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health is “to improve student health and increase readiness to learn through health care access, advocacy, and programs.” The independent 501c3 nonprofit organization supports 15 district-wide Wellness Centers and a variety of programs focused on preventative care, oral screenings and referrals, healthy living habits, mental health services and more.