Grant from Kaiser will drive mental health, Data xChange
Kaiser Permanente’s “transformational” grant will complete The L.A. Trust Data xChange and fund The L.A. Trust Student Mental Health Initiative.
A three-year, $750,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente will fund two key initiatives at The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health: The L.A. Trust Student Mental Health Initiative and The L.A. Trust Data xChange.
“The size and the scope of this grant is transformational,” said Anna Baum, director of development and communications for The L.A. Trust. “It will allow us to expand our mental health outreach and advocacy, which is so needed, especially now,” Baum said.
“It will also allow us to complete work on our ground-breaking Data xChange, which gives decision-makers and providers crucial insights on the state of student health in Los Angeles.”
“Access to mental health continues to be a priority for Kaiser Permanente,” said Will Grice, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. “The integration of mental health and primary health underscores the fact that a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body. Through this grant, we hope that students and their families can identify a need for quality mental health services early on and get the support they deserve.”
Mental health agenda
The grant will help expand student mental health awareness through The L.A. Trust’s Student Advisory Boards (SABs), peer advocacy groups at L.A. Unified campuses with Wellness Center clinics.
SAB members reach out and educate fellow students on key behavioral health topics, including healthy relationships, sexual and reproductive health, substance use and suicide prevention.
“The mental health of students is the priority now,” Baum said. “The Kaiser grant will support our entire youth mental health effort.”
Read more about our Student Mental Health Initiative
Data-driven decision-making
The second component of the Kaiser Permanente grant is finalizing The L.A. Trust Data xChange byintegratrating confidential, de-identified mental health and school medical data into the Data xChange platform.
The Data xChange will also establish community-informed reporting protocols tailored to student, school and community partners and distribute them twice a year.
The L.A. Trust will work with UCLA Pediatrics to release an issue brief highlighting key findings from the Data xChange and the impact of L.A. Unified Wellness Centers on student academic outcomes.
“This grant is very strategic,” Baum said. “It puts our two most important initiatives on overdrive and will have a lasting impact on student healthcare in the region.”