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Salute to Student Health moves audience, raises awareness
Former L.A. Trust Student Advisory Board member Irma Rosa Viera brought many to tears as she shared, “broken bits and all,” at The L.A. Trust Salute to Student Health.
More than 200 healthcare providers, educators and civic leaders met at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles and online September 30 at The L.A. Trust Salute to Student Health. The gala raised awareness and funds for student health and honored former L.A. Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner and Community Health Director Dr. Margaret Lynn Yonekura of Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center (see story).
Will Grice of Kaiser Permanente, board president of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health, noted that “we meet at a difficult time. But as hard as this pandemic has been on our healthcare workers and educators, it has been even tougher on our children.” Grice said, “The L.A. Trust is the backbone organization that brings all the pieces and all the players together” for student health, and introduced Executive Director Maryjane Puffer, whom he called “the backbone of The L.A. Trust.”
Puffer acknowledged the pandemic’s toll. “Schools were closed, clinics were shuttered, hospitals were overwhelmed and there were long lines at food banks. Twenty-five thousand of our fellow Angelenos died.” She said many nonprofits, including The L.A. Trust, “faced an existential crisis.”
“We persevered,” she said, “knowing the kids needed us more than ever.” She said The L.A. Trust was “stronger than before the pandemic hit,” and noted The L.A. Trust had just welcomed eight new employees. “In the comings months we will impact more students and families, and deliver more policy and programs, than ever before.”
Moving remarks
Rosario Rico, health analyst for L.A. County Public Health and former associate program director at The L.A. Trust, introduced the night’s featured guest speaker, Irma Rosa Viera, an undergraduate at Cal State Northridge and a former member of The L.A. Trust Student Advisory Board at Elizabeth Learning Center.
Rosa Viera said she had “wanted to seem cool, calm and collected” in her remarks, but her work as a Student Advisory Board member had taught her something more important — how to “feel unapologetically me, broken bits and all.”
Rosa Viera then held the audience rapt when she discussed the personal toll COVID-19 had taken on her community, her family and herself.
“On June 15, 2020, I saw my older brother Oscar for the last time as he gasped for air while forcing his body to go to the hospital,” she said. “I just knew he wasn’t coming back.” She said the months that followed his death from COVID have been hard.
“The version of me that finds herself feeling lonely and endlessly crying knows that I have a support system,” she said. “Through learning about the services offered at our Wellness Center in high school, I have been able to use that knowledge and seek therapy, join support groups and understand my grieving process. I have learned that even when times are tough, we are tougher.”
Her emotional remarks brought some to tears and prompted a standing ovation.
Bidding for good
Sponsors for the event included Presenting Sponsor, John and Louise Bryson; Platinum Sponsors, The Anthony & Jeanne Pritkzer Family Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation; and Gold Sponsors, Kaiser Permanente, Goldman Sachs, and Dr. Margaret Lynn Yonekura.
Silver Sponsors were the California Community Foundation, Delta Dental, William Grice, Jimmy Iovine, L.A. Care, Tangram Interiors, and The Winebaum Family Foundation; and Bronze Sponsors, Anthem Blue Cross, Big Smiles, Jordan B. Keville of Davis Wright Tremain, Drew Hodgson, Health Net and Liberty Dental.
The evening included a Silent Auction and an entertaining Live Auction featuring trips to Africa, Hawaii and Mexico. “Fund-a-need” pledges helped raise thousands of dollars for The L.A. Trust’s student engagement programs. Moved by the evening’s program, Dr. Robert Ross of the California Endowment pledged $10,000.
“We are very grateful for all who came and all who gave,” said Anna Baum, director of development and communications for The L.A. Trust. “Thanks to our sponsors, attendees and bidders, we raised more than $200,000 to fund our programs in the coming year. More important, we brought attention to the need for student healthcare.
“I am especially proud of Irma and the former Student Advisory Board members in our video, who showed everyone what The L.A. Trust mission is all about.”
The L.A. Trust will salute Dr. Yonekura at Sept. 30 gala
Children’s health leader Margaret Lynn Yonekura, M.D., will receive The L.A. Trust Champion award September 30 at our Salute to Student Health gala.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health will present its Champion Award to Margaret Lynn Yonekura, M.D., September 30 at its Salute to Student Health event at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles.
Dr. Yonekura, Director of Community Health at Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center, will be honored alongside former L.A. Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner, previously announced.
The gala event will be attended by members of The L.A. Trust community, including educators, healthcare providers and donors. Registration is now open.
”The L.A. Trust is honored to recognize my friend Dr. Yonekura for her leadership and service to our community’s children and families,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust. “Her work on behalf of our students and families has had a significant impact,” Puffer said. “We are particularly grateful for her leadership on the Cultural Trauma and Mental Health Resiliency Project, her past support of our Oral Health Initiative and her service on The L.A. Trust Data xChange Expert Advisory Council, guiding the use of data to advance equity.”
L.A.’s Best Babies Network
Throughout her career Dr. Yonekura has developed comprehensive care programs to address her patients’ complex needs.
These innovative programs include: Options for Recovery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a comprehensive treatment program for pregnant and parenting women with a substance use disorder and their young children; the Hope Street Family Center at CHMC, which promotes the health and welfare of children and families through a variety of private and locally funded initiatives; and the Los Angeles Best Babies Network at CHMC, which oversees and supports perinatal and early childhood home visiting services throughout Los Angeles County.
The L.A. Best Babies Network provides training and technical assistance for over 700 home visitors, data management, facilitation of cross-site peer learning, and coordination and support of communication and messaging efforts. It also runs the L.A. County Perinatal and Early Childhood Home Visiting Consortium.
Years of service
Dr. Yonekura is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with subspecialty certification in maternal-fetal medicine and a recognized expert in infectious diseases in OB-GYN and perinatal substance abuse. She served on the OB-GYN faculty at LAC-USC Medical Center from 1980-86 and was the chief of obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center from 1986-1992.
Since 1992, she has been based at Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center, a nonprofit public benefit hospital serving Central and South Central Los Angeles. She was director of perinatal services at CHMC until 2000, when she became director of community health. She is also an associate professor at both USC and UCLA Schools of Medicine.
Dr. Yonekura is a member of the Women’s Health Policy Council of L.A. County’s Office of Women’s Health, L.A. County Reproductive Health and the Environment Advisory Committee, L.A. County Diabetes Prevention Program Community Advisory Committee and the Preconception Health Council of California.
The L.A. Trust Salute to Student Health
A magical night, a critical mission
Thursday, September 29 | 6 to 9 pm
Vibiana | 214 S. Main Street | Downtown Los Angeles
Join civic, education and healthcare leaders at The L.A. Trust’s first annual Salute to Student Health, honoring former Superintendent Austin Beutner of Los Angeles Unified and Dr. Margaret Lynn Yonekura of Dignity-California Hospital Medical Center.
Meet your colleagues and support our vision of a world where every student is healthy and successful. Entertainment, a hosted bar and small bites from Michelin-recommended Redbird included. Join us in saluting our two honorees and make a difference in student health.
All sponsors and ticket purchasers will have the option to attend the event virtually through our livestream.
$150 PER PERSON
RSVP NOW
Sponsorship opportunities | Contact Julie Edens for more information.
Silent Auction Preview and Bidding | Silent Auction donations
Honoring
Sponsors
Collage photos by Vibiana and The L.A. Trust.
The L.A. Trust will honor Austin Beutner at Sept. 30 gala
Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner will be honored by The L.A. Trust at its Salute to Student Health event. LAUSD photo.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health will present its first-ever Visionary Award to L.A. Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner, September 30 at its Salute to Student Health event at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles.
The gala will be attended by members of The L.A. Trust community, including educators, healthcare providers and donors. Registration for the event will open soon.
Learn more, become a sponsor
“We are proud to present this award to Superintendent Beutner,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust. “We honor his innovation, his hard work and his leadership in seeing the school community through the COVID-19 crisis.”
Beutner said, “I am a product of public schools, and I wouldn’t be here today but for my great public education. I have committed myself to making sure children in our community have the same opportunities I was provided with, including quality healthcare.”
Record of achievement
Austin Beutner is a civic leader and public servant who has worked for the last decade to make Los Angeles a stronger community. He was appointed superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, in May 2018.
Under Beutner’s leadership Los Angeles Unified has led the nation in responding to the crisis in public schools created by COVID-19. The school district has provided more than 135 million meals along with 40 million items of needed supplies to the communities it serves, made sure all students have a computer and free internet access to remain connected with their school and to continue learning, and has provided COVID-19 tests and vaccinations to students, staff and community members at schools.
During his tenure, Los Angeles Unified was transformed from a top-down, one-size-fits-all bureaucracy into an organization led by 44 nimble, local teams dedicated to each of the communities it serves. Students, in particular students of color, have made significant progress in early literary and math. High school graduates are provided with jobs while they attend local colleges, and students have the opportunity to participate in an extraordinary set of new classes and programs. One example is a program created with Fender Guitar, where 5,000 middle-school students received a free guitar to participate in teacher-led music classes.
Civic leadership
Beutner has served as first deputy mayor of Los Angeles, publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union Tribune, and co-chair of the LA 2020 Commission and the L.A. Unified Advisory Task Force.
At age 29, Beutner became the youngest partner at The Blackstone Group. He left Blackstone to serve in the U.S. government, where he led a portion of U.S. efforts to help Russia transition to a market economy after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He went on to found Evercore Partners and as president and co-CEO helped build it into one of the leading independent investment firms in the world.
Beutner holds a degree in economics from Dartmouth College and has taught courses in ethics, leadership and effective government at Harvard Business School, the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy, the UCLA Anderson School of Management, and California State University Northridge.
Beutner currently serves on the board of the National Park Foundation, is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He founded Vision To Learn, a non-profit organization that has provided free eye exams and glasses to more than 250,000 children at schools in low-income communities across the country.
Sharing Brings Hope to L.A. Unified students and families
Local District East Sharing Brings Hope coordinators got fundraising tips on Zoom February 10.
The Los Angeles Unified School District’s Sharing Brings Hope 60-day charity drive has launched with a new state-of-the-art online giving portal.
Last year, thousands of teachers, staff, students and family members contributed to the campaign to strengthen some of L.A.’s strongest nonprofits.
“Over the years the Sharing Brings Hope Combined Consolidated Campaign has raised millions of dollars for charities supporting our kids, teens and families,” said Anna Baum, director of development for The Los Angeles Trust. “This year our campaign activities will be conducted almost entirely online to keep everyone safe,” she said. “We are proud to be part of this campaign and grateful to the LAUSD community for their support.”
The annual campaign benefits The L.A. Trust and 10 other local nonprofit organizations: the Asian Pacific Community Fund, Brotherhood Crusade, Community Health Charities, EarthShare California, Kathryn Kurka Children’s Health Fund, LAUSD Employee Sponsored Scholarship Fund, United Latinx Fund, United Negro College Fund, United Teachers Educational Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
There are several ways to give: regular payroll deductions (LAUSD employees only) or one-time contributions by cash or check. Visit the new Sharing Brings Hope website to learn how to give or call (888) 492-4738.
Wellness Centers confer on impact and inclusion
Senior LAUSD Physician Dr. Rosina Franco provided an update on the District’s coronavirus response at The L.A. Trust Wellness Network Learning Collaborative.
Representatives from Los Angeles Unified and its Wellness Centers discussed how to reach and treat students during the COVID-19 pandemic at The L.A. Trust’s online Learning Collaborative October 14.
Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health, welcomed the participants. Noting that inclusion was the theme of the gathering, she quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Report card
Gloria Velasquez, an organization facilitator for L.A. Unified’s Student Health and Human Services, presented a Wellness Network Report Card for academic year 2019-2020. She reminded the attendees that the purpose of the Wellness Network was to help students and families “where there is a gap in healthcare” and thanked The L.A. Trust Data xChange “for gathering and presenting these metrics so they could be shared in so many different ways.”
Velasquez noted that student patients comprised more than 28% of all patients seen by the Wellness Clinics and they averaged 2.1 visits per year. More female than male students visited the clinics (55.6% vs. 44.4%) and the overwhelming number of student patients were teens 14-19. The top services provided to students were well child exams, overweight and obesity concerns, contraceptive management and vaccinations and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Return plan
Senior LAUSD Physician Dr. Rosina Franco provided an update on the District’s coronavirus response and prospects for school reopening. She noted that Los Angeles County was still in Tier 1, reflecting widespread case and positivity rates, and outlined the state’s requirements for re-opening. As of October 13, Los Angeles County had 9.0 new COVID cases per 100,000 population — the county’s positivity rate was 3.7% and rising.
Franco said L.A. Unified was laying the groundwork for a safe return to in-person instruction. LAUSD is currently testing teachers, staff and children in childcare to establish an initial COVID-19 baseline. The second phase of initial baseline testing will include all staff working from home. The third phase will include all students.
The District will do another return to school baseline test and periodic testing thereafter. Contacts of students and staff who test positive will be notified by the District as part of its robust Community Engagement effort.
Inclusive engagement
Two representatives from the Carson Wellness Center presented ideas on how to engage students and community members and drive visits to Wellness Centers.
Kristie Garrison of Healthy Start and Suzanne Markey of LAUSD School Mental Health offered marketing and communications tactics, including virtual clinic tours media to be shared on classroom Zoom meetings and social media. The team is focused on promoting clinic services to students, especially sexually transmitted infection and HIV prevention education.
Rosario Rico and Robert Renteria of The L.A. Trust gave a brief presentation on inclusive strategies to increase student use of LAUSD Wellness Centers.
They emphasized “location, location, location,” which includes virtual environments like Schoology, Zoom and social media, and more traditional methods like putting printed fliers in places where students are still checking in. They said messaging should include Wellness Center hours, available services, minor consent services and how to make an appointment.
The two-hour event concluded with breakout rooms discussing “How to expand outreach efforts in a more inclusive manner?” Suggestions included involving parents and past student clients as ambassadors; engaging teachers; and utilizing ConnectEd, Schoology and other platforms.
Conference attendees committed to exploring the techniques and increasing clinic visits next semester.
Data xChange report shows growth of Wellness Centers
The L.A. Trust Data xChange has issued a new report showing the impact of L.A. Unified’s Wellness Centers since 2015.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has released a new Data xChange report demonstrating the widespread impact of L.A. Unified’s 16 full-service Wellness Centers on students, families and community members in the District’s highest-need areas.
According to the Data xChange report, 11 school-based Wellness Centers reported more than 229,000 visits from 86,000 patients in the past five years. Visits grew 143% in the past half decade and patients averaged 2.7 visits per year, demonstrating “a strong bond between clinics and patients.”
The statistics in the Wellness Center 5-Year Impact Report were produced by The L.A. Trust’s Data xChange, which is designed to measure the impact of Wellness Center investments, improve the allocation of health resources and connect the dots between student health and academic achievement.
Vital services
Quality healthcare is essential to student success, the report noted. The L.A. Trust supports these clinics by offering best practices, prevention education programs, learning collaboratives and other vital infrastructure. In addition, it has independently raised more than $1.5 million to create the Data xChange, which The L.A. Trust views as key to the future of school-based health in Los Angeles and throughout the nation.
Common student services include Well Child Exams, contraceptive management, weight and obesity management, immunization and vaccines, sexually transmitted infection testing and management, and mental health and substance use services.
Because students are only as healthy as the communities they live in, Wellness Centers treat family and community members, too. Community members are more likely to be treated for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
There are currently 16 LAUSD Wellness Center clinics with two more on the way. They bring high-quality medical services into traditionally underserved communities, provide culturally competent care and reduce transportation burdens by putting the clinics on school campuses. (Most of the clinics have a street-facing door to admit community members and a school-facing door to admit students.)
COVID-19 response
The coronavirus pandemic has hit Los Angeles hard, especially predominantly Black and Latinx communities served by the Wellness Centers, the report stated. Six Wellness Centers have remained open during the height of the school lockdown and received more than 12,000 visits between March and June of this year.
“As many of our Wellness Centers pivot toward telehealth and incorporate more specific coding practices related to COVID-19, The L.A. Trust Data xChange will stay in step with them by working to create new reports and insights,” the impact report affirmed.
The Data xChange is guided by an Expert Advisory Council that includes: Manal Aboelata, The Prevention Institute; Mayra Alvarez, The Children’s Health Partnership; Grace Kim Crofton, L.A. Care Health Plan; Rebecca Dudovitz, UCLA; Pia Escudero, LAUSD Student Health and Human Services; Mehrnaz Davoudi, Kaiser Permanente; Art Garcia, First 5 Los Angeles; Will Grice, Kaiser Permanente and board president of The L.A. Trust; Lyndee Knox, PatientToc; Hayley Love; James Kyle, L.A. Care Health Plan; Anitha Mullangi, St. John’s Well Child and Family Health Center; Kevon Tucker-Seeley, LAUSD Office of Data and Accountability; Mollie Rudnick, LAUSD Chief Strategy Office; Nina Vaccaro, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County; Ron Tanimura, LAUSD Student Medical Services; Kimberly Uyeda; and Lynn Yonekura, L.A. Best Babies Network
COVID testing key to L.A. Unified’s return-to-school strategy
L.A. Unified return-to-school plan encompasses testing and tracing for nearly 800,000 students and employees.
The Los Angeles Unified School District has begun an unprecedented coronavirus testing program, part of its developing return-to-school plan for nearly 800,000 students and employees
Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said, “Health practices are in place. Classrooms and facilities have been electrostatically cleaned top to bottom, air-conditioning systems have been upgraded with the equivalent of N-95 filters, personal protective equipment is provided to all individuals on campus, and classrooms and facilities have been reconfigured to keep all at a school a safer distance apart.
“When students do return to schools, they’ll be kept in small cohorts to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. And as we learn of other ways to enhance health practices, we’ll incorporate them as quickly as possible.”
‘Taking the lead’
“Once again, LAUSD is taking the lead nationwide in protecting our students, teachers, staff and community members,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health. “It is essential that we open our schools as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Beutner added, “While unprecedented, the virus testing, community engagement and contact-tracing program is necessary and appropriate as we must do everything we can to protect the health and safety of all in the school community.”
Among those collaborating on the program are UCLA, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, Anthem Blue Cross, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Health Net.
Join California School-Based Health Conference online October 6-8
Staff from L.A. Unified Wellness Centers can register for the CSHA virtual California School-Based Health Conference free of charge.
The California School-Based Health Alliance’s Statewide School-Based Health Conference will take place online October 6-8 this year, and all student healthcare providers and supporters are invited to join The L.A. Trust in attending. This year’s theme is “School Health on the Frontlines: Navigating Pandemics & Building Equity.”
Staff from L.A. Unified Wellness Centers can register for the conference free of charge. (Click Tickets and then Enter Promo Code TRUST20.)
Dr. Tichianaa Armah, renowned school-based health provider and Yale School of Medicine professor, will be the keynote speaker. The event schedule will include more than 35 workshops and leading healthcare providers and others will appear in a Virtual Exhibit Hall.
“School-based health centers are stepping up to provide critical support and healthcare access to the students most impacted by the intersecting pandemics of COVID-19 and the public health crisis of racism,” organizers said. “This conference is an opportunity to connect, learn and grow as we face unprecedented challenges.”
For more information visit the CSHA conference website or register now.
This post was updated 10/05/2020 at 11:24 a.m.
The L.A. Trust and L.A. Unified put focus on student oral health
Program Manager Esther Yepez, Executive Director Maryjane Puffer and Associate Program Director Stella Kim distributed hundreds of free toothbrushes at Los Angeles Unified’s Grab & Go Food Center at Manual Arts Senior High School June 9.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has joined forces with America’s Tooth Fairy, the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Unified School District to raise oral health awareness and distribute more than 50,000 toothbrushes at Los Angeles Unified Grab & Go Food Centers.
“Healthy children are ready to learn, and The L.A. Trust has worked with us for years to promote the health and wellbeing of our students,” Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “Children may find it difficult to visit a dentist, so making sure kids practice good oral health habits like brushing their teeth is more important now than ever.”
L.A. Tooth Fairy Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust, thanked Los Angeles Unified and sponsors of Operation Tooth Fairy, including America’s Tooth Fairy and USC. “We even got an anonymous donation of 1,500 wrapped toothbrushes – every little bit helps.”
Puffer noted that “children with poor oral health are nearly three times more likely to miss school and perform poorly.” Past screenings of elementary school students in Los Angeles found that 66% of children had active dental disease, 27% had visible tooth decay and 6% required emergency care.
Since 2013, The L.A. Trust has worked to improve student oral health by coordinating free Kindergarten Oral Health Assessments in Los Angeles Unified schools.
Puffer said replacing toothbrushes frequently and not sharing brushes is especially important during this pandemic. Children should floss daily and brush twice a day. They should also keep wearing their braces and dental appliances.
“Many dentists and dental clinics are re-opening, and you should always see a dentist if it’s an emergency,” Puffer said. This includes oral pain, infection, trauma or damage. Many Student Health and Wellness Centers are open for restorative care, and you can also ask if your dentist offers tele-dentistry to get a remote assessment.
Thanks from Board
School Board members thanked The L.A. Trust for supporting students while school facilities are closed.
“I am grateful to The L.A. Trust for helping us fulfill our commitment to support the whole child,” Board Vice President Jackie Goldberg said.
“I salute The L.A. Trust and their continued commitment to promoting and educating our children on the importance of oral health,” Board Member Dr. George J. McKenna III said.
“Thanks to The L.A. Trust, America’s Tooth Fairy and the University of Southern California for your partnership and support for our students and families,” Board Member Mónica García said. “The health of our students is a strong indicator of their ability to achieve academically. I am grateful for all those involved in the effort to bridge the gap between education and health.”
“As a retired teacher and principal, I know that our children’s health and wellbeing are critical for effective teaching and learning,” Board Member Scott M. Schmerelson said. “Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, many parents have lost jobs and cannot afford to buy the necessary supplies or pay for dental treatments. Now more than ever, we must continue to provide needed support so our students can remain healthy. I thank The L.A. Trust and our community partners for their generous contributions and continued support.”
“We are grateful to The L.A. Trust and all the partners working to mitigate the unfortunate side effects of our current public health crisis and the existing crises that our kids face every day by not having adequate access to basic health care,” Board Member Nick Melvoin said. “That’s why I brought, and the Board passed, a resolution earlier this year to make it easier for partners like The L.A. Trust to provide these basic health services to our students, and why it’s so important that we uphold this commitment to meet the needs of our kids and families.”
“Along with our partner, The L.A. Trust, we are dedicated to promoting our students’ health,” Board Member Kelly Gonez said. “This latest distribution of toothbrushes at our Grab & Go Food Centers will support student wellbeing and allow them to focus on their learning.”
Puffer thanked the School Board, Los Angeles Unified and Operation Tooth Fairy partners, and urged other organizations and individual to join the effort. She said Operation Tooth Fairy is seeking donations of wrapped children’s and adult toothbrushes plus items like toothpaste and dental floss. “These may seem like small things,” she said, “but they can make a big difference in the oral health of a child or adolescent in this quarantine and recession.”
The L.A. Trust OHAB meeting opens with good news on dental screenings
Dr. Maritza Cabezas, dental director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, discussed “dental deserts” at The L.A. Trust’s oral health convene.
Representatives from private and public oral health organizations discussed the state of children’s oral health at The L.A. Trust’s Oral Health Advisory Board Meeting, March 11, 2020 in at the California Community Foundation in downtown Los Angeles.
The meeting was convened by Associate Program Director Stella Kim, The L.A. Trust’s oral health lead. She introduced Executive Director Maryjane Puffer, who opened the meeting with good news: The Los Angeles Unified School Board approved a resolution the day before expanding dental and vision screenings for K-12 students. The resolution permits no-cost dental health screenings for every LAUSD student whose parents do not opt out, and requires a plan to be developed for the 2020-21 school year. Previously, prior parental approval was required for the non-invasive assessments.
The L.A. Trust’s Oral Health Advisory Board is a prime convener in the Los Angeles Country’s dental care community for school-based oral health. Its quarterly OHAB meetings attract dozens of participants from the public and private sectors. Puffer provided an update on The L.A. Trust’s Oral Health Initiative, including The L.A. Trust Tooth Fairy Event, which provided free dental screenings for 205 students and community members and attracted a record number of attendees February 22.
She announced The L.A. Trust is working with UCLA’s More LA Smiles on a Local District Pilot Project funded by the California
Dental Transformation Initiative (DTI). The pilot project will expand The L.A Trust’s Oral Health Initiative to 85 schools in LAUSD Local District South. The L.A. Trust will also participate in a 2020 Universal Kindergarten Screening pilot program with 141 potential school sites this year.
California gets C-minus
Fatima Clark of Children Now gave a statewide update on children’s oral health from the 2020 California Children’s Report Card. The report card gave the state’s oral health policies and resources a C-minus.
“Too few children enrolled in Medi-Cal receive preventative services,” Clark said. Nearly 4 in 10 California kindergartners (39%) did not complete oral health assessments due to financial burden or lack of funds; of those who did, 20% had untreated dental decay. But the report was cautiously optimistic about the improvements in student oral health, stating that “recent efforts to improve utilization look promising.”
Read more on the California Dental Association website
Dr. Maritza Cabezas, dental director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, outlined a recent survey of “dental deserts” in the county. Dental deserts were mapped using three criteria: high population density; low income (Medi-Cal income cut-off); and one dental provider or less for every 4,000 patients.
The map identified numerous high-need, low-resource areas, many along the CA-110 corridor in Central and South Los Angeles. The survey identified 15 publicly funded medical clinics where dental services could be added and six dental clinics where oral healthcare could be expanded.
The morning session ended with a briefing from the UCLA-led More LA Smiles Consortium on a new pilot program designed to help Medi-Cal beneficiaries age 0 to 20. Associate Director Bonnie Shook and Technical Product Manager Joshua Norton introduced the LA Dental Registry and Referral System (LADRRS), which will allow medical and dental providers to “close the referral loop” and help thousands of patients get the oral healthcare they need. The presentations were followed by a working lunch and four breakout discussions on top systems change drivers: policy, financing, care and community.
Education and healthcare meet COVID-19 head on
Los Angeles Unified has opened more than 60 Grab and Go food distribution sites to ensure students receive nutritious breakfast and lunch meals during the COVID-19 school closures. Superintendent Austin Beutner pictured center.
An unprecedented health crisis has been met with an unprecedented response from the Los Angeles healthcare and education communities.
“While the coronavirus mostly strikes adults, our kids are isolated and vulnerable right now,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health. “They are not in class. They miss their friends. And they are not getting the structure and services schools provide. We must support our students and families as they face this dual health and economic crisis.
“I applaud the students, teachers and leaders of L.A. Unified for adapting so quickly,” she said. “The resources the District has brought to bear — including nutrition, distance learning, and primary and mental health support, have been impressive.
“I also want to salute the response of our healthcare partners. They are the first responders in this crisis, and they are working hard under difficult circumstances,” she said.
How to give
Private donations are helping families with the greatest need. LAUSD has launched Students Most in Need to provide food, learning materials and digital devices to students.
Twenty area nonprofits are supporting We’re One Family, Los Angeles, a fund to help families meet basic needs, including food, rent, gas, childcare and healthcare. As of March 23, the fund had raised $100,000 in just 72 hours.
Get COVD-19 resources for California kids and families from Children Now.
Shutting down, ramping up
The Los Angeles Unified School District was one of the first in the nation to cancel classes to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus — and it moved quickly to fill the void. Within days of the shutdown LAUSD:
Opened more than 60 food “grab and go” sites distributing nearly 250,000 meals daily.
Deployed educational programming for hundreds of thousands of pre-K-12 students on the air. (Three PBS affiliates, — KCET, PBS SoCal and LAUSD station KCLS — will broadcast educational programming for all grade levels.)
Launched instructional continuity classes and announced an agreement with Verizon to provide Internet connectivity for students who need it. The agreement is a key component in the district’s plan for students to continue learning as campuses remain closed in response to COVID-19.
While LAUSD Student Health and Human Services has closed its LAUSD school-based clinics, many of the Student and Family Wellness Centers remain open to students and community members during the school closures. Visit our website for a complete list. They are also offering a wide range of services from its main hotline, (213) 443-1300 and website.
“The L.A. Trust is conducting day-to-day operations remotely and developing new curriculum and communications to support students and communities virtually while our schools are closed,” Puffer said. “We are laser-focused on the needs of our students and their families.”
Many Wellness Centers (and The L.A. Trust) will stay open
Many LAUSD Wellness Centers will remain open during the COVID-19 health crisis, according to a survey of the Wellness Network by The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health.
OPEN WELLNESS CENTERS*
Belmont
Carson
Fremont
Gage Middle School
Jefferson (Wednesdays only)
Manual Arts
Monroe
Washington Prep
CLOSED WELLNESS CENTERS
Crenshaw
Elizabeth Learning Center
Garfield
Hollywood High
Jordan
Locke Early Education Center
MaCES
Santee Education Complex
*Some Wellness Centers have modified schedules. Call for details.
The County of Los Angeles advises anyone with flu-like symptoms to call their doctor or 2-1-1 to see if they need testing — they should not visit any healthcare facility without checking that it is safe for them to do so.
The L.A. Trust open
In a letter to stakeholders, The L.A. Trust announced it would remain open during the coronavirus emergency.
“This is an unprecedented time in our city, nation and world,” Executive Director Maryjane Puffer said. “As we all take steps to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, we want you to know what The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health is doing in response:
The L.A. Trust is open for business during regular business hours, with staff working remotely. We will continue our day-to-day operations and reschedule on-campus and community outreach when we can safely resume these services.
We have postponed our Spring Wellness Network Learning Collaborative and cancelled our Summer Solstice 2020 fundraiser.
We will closely monitor the situation and provide updates from The L.A. Trust, the Los Angeles Unified School District and our Wellness Center and healthcare partners.
We will share fact-based content on how to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus crisis that is impacting our students, communities, clinics and healthcare providers.
“Nothing is more important to The L.A. Trust than the health of our children — or the well-being of the educators and healthcare professionals who care for them,” Puffer said. “I want to thank them for all they’re doing to help our students and protect the health of our community in this difficult time.”
This story was updated March 27 at 9:30 am PDT.
LAUSD and health officials plan for coronavirus
The COVID-19 outbreak is serious and the situation is changing fast. Experts say don’t panic, stay informed — and wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds.
The Los Angeles Unified School Angeles District and public health agencies are addressing the rapidly changing global coronavirus outbreak with contingency plans and public information.
LAUSD officials are getting updates daily at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. from The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and Superintendent Austin Beutner is posting Twitter updates twice a day. The LAUSD has also opened a hotline (213 443-1300) Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is updating its website daily with news on the virus. The California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control are also providing real-time updates.
“It’s too soon to know where this epidemic is headed,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust and a former pediatric nurse with a master’s degree in public health. “There are a relatively small number of cases in the County today, but that could change rapidly. The most important thing is to stay informed and use the same hygiene precautions you use for the flu.”
Hygiene is key
LAUSD has released a video on the outbreak emphasizing the importance of frequent and thorough handwashing. The Los Angeles County of Department Health recommends these precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus and flu:
Have provisions that will last a few days (water, food, essential hygiene, etc.)
Get immunized against the flu. This will relieve what could be a highly impacted healthcare system
Stay home when you’re sick (don’t wait until you are very sick)
Make sure you are using a robust, regular cleaning schedule for frequently touched surfaces
Wash your hands frequently (for at least 20 seconds)
Check out their website for the most accurate information at publichealth.lacounty.gov
What to tell students
“Be informed and honest about the virus, but avoid anything that might stress your students or family members,” Puffer said. “And remember, kids are good at reading emotions.”
“You can be frank with adolescents — they may know more than you. With younger kids, it’s important to listen and hear what their concerns are,” Puffer said. “Emphasize that the risk of getting sick is low and you will take them to the doctor should the need arise.”
“On behalf of The L.A. Trust I want to thank the healthcare professionals who are working locally and worldwide — often at risk to their own health — to address this outbreak,” she added.
‘Sharing Brings Hope’ from LAUSD to area nonprofits and their clients
“Sharing Brings Hope” benefits organizations serving communities in need. Here Dr. Tu Nguyen of More LA Smiles conducts a student dental exam as part of The L.A. Trust’s oral health initiative.
The Los Angeles Unified School District’s “Sharing Brings Hope” 60-day charity drive officially starts February 3, 2020. Last year, thousands of teachers, staff, students and family members contributed to the campaign to strengthen some of L.A.’s strongest nonprofits.
“The campaign raised more than $520,000 in 2019, and we hope to top that this year,” said Anna Baum, director of development for The Los Angeles Trust. “We are proud to be part of this campaign and grateful to the LAUSD community for their support.”
The annual campaign benefits The L.A Trust and 10 other local nonprofit organizations: the Asian Pacific Community Fund, Brotherhood Crusade, Community Health Charities, EarthShare California, Kathryn Kurka Children’s Health Fund, LAUSD Employee Sponsored Scholarship Fund, United Latinx Fund, United Negro College Fund, United Teachers Educational Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
There are several ways to give: one-time contributions by cash or check, or payroll deductions. Visit the Sharing Brings Hope website or call (888) 492-4738 to learn more.
The campaign will host an invitation-only Leadership Breakfast on January 22 featuring LAUSD and community leaders and recognizing last year’s top contributors at the school, local district and department levels.
The L.A. Trust will host an event in February at LAUSD headquarters to give Beaudry fundraising coordinators more information on how to organize.
As vaping epidemic grows, educators and healthcare providers join forces
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner appeared with students and educators outside Federal Court to announce a class-action vaping lawsuit.
L.A. School Superintendent Austin Beutner stood on the courthouse steps in downtown Los Angeles October 29, 2019 to declare war on vaping. Flanked by educators, students and community leaders, Beutner announced a class-action lawsuit to hold industry-leading vape-pen manufacturer Juul “accountable for the role it has played in creating an epidemic that affects the health of our students, disrupts student learning and is taking money away from our core mission—educating students.”
“We are here to join others in the cause to stop this epidemic,” Beutner said. “The money we are spending to deal with the trauma vaping is bringing into our schools is money not spent on instruction.”
Tobacco use prevention and education (TUPE) is one of the top missions of The L.A. Trust, which brings the worlds of education and healthcare together to tackle urgent challenges facing more than 600,000 students in the LAUSD.
The crisis is urgent, Renteria said. Student cigarette smoking has declined sharply in the past few decades, but total tobacco use — driven by vaping — is on the rise. A federal survey shows 27.5% of high school students have used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days.
Vaping 101
Dozens of school-based health professionals joined The L.A. Trust and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles November 13 for its latest outreach, a webinar called “Vaping 101” hosted by L.A. Trust Program Manager Robert Renteria and featuring Stephan Lambert, prevention education coordinator for the Orange County Department of Education. It’s the first in a series of three Wellness & Adolescent Substance Use Prevention (WASUP) webinars hosted by Children’s Hospital and The L.A.Trust.
Watch the webinar now
As of November 13, health officials in 49 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have 2,172 cases of vaping-related lung illness. Forty-two deaths have been reported from 24 states and the District of Columbia.
The L.A. Trust works with the LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell Branch on vaping abatement programs that give students facts about the health dangers of vaping, and resources to foster peer-to-peer conversations that promote cessation. The L.A. Trust also works with Student Advisory Board members, adult allies and staff at LAUSD Wellness Centers to coordinate education, train advocates, provide treatment referrals, sponsor outreach events and publicize the dangers of cigarette smoking and vaping in social media.
Latest Wellness Center opens at Santee Education Complex
L.A. Trust Executive Director Maryjane Puffer addressed the importance of school-based wellness centers at the Santee Education Complex ribbon-cutting, December 2, 2019.
The newest LAUSD Student and Family Wellness Center opened December 2, 2019 at Santee Education Complex in South Los Angeles—and educators, students, clinicians and healthcare leaders welcomed the new facility in style.
Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health, said the benefits of school-based health centers are proven: “Students who get quality healthcare have better outcomes and less chronic disease than those who don’t.”
Puffer said. The L.A. Trust was proud to support the establishment of the new clinic early on, and to assist the growing LAUSD Wellness Center network, she said.
The ceremonies were led by Los Angeles Unified Board Member Mónica García, who noted that the District has invested ten of millions of dollars building school-based wellness centers in high-need areas. An ebullient García led the crowd in applause for everyone who helped make the new center possible, from students and staff to advocates and taxpayers.
Speakers and ribbon-cutters included Kristina Tokes, LAUSD deputy chief facilities executive; Alicia Garoupa-Bollinger, representing Pia Escudero, executive director of LAUSD Student Health and Human Services; Martine Singer, CEO of the Children’s Institute; Joan Sullivan, CEO of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools; and Santee Principal Susana Gutierrez.
Power of partnership
Three more Wellness Centers are currently on the drawing boards: Mendez High School in Boyle Heights (ground-breaking held December 9), Maclay Middle School in Pacoima, and Hyde Park Elementary in South Los Angeles. A wellness center at Telfair Avenue Elementary in Pacoima opened in October.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has supported the Wellness Center network since its inception in 2009, advocating for new centers, bringing programs, resources and education to students and community members, conducting clinician training, conducting research and establishing Student Advisory Boards to promote youth engagement.
A program staff of nine is currently working on more than a dozen different initiatives impacting the health of L.A. students. In October, The L.A. Trust hosted its semi-annual Wellness Network Learning Collaborative focused on innovative approaches to HPV prevention, contraception awareness, and other urgent student health issues.
The future is data-driven
“The L.A. Trust provides a bridge between the education and healthcare community, and the Wellness Centers are the front door, for both students and community members,” said Puffer. “Our priority is prevention and education, especially in the critical areas of oral health, nutrition, tobacco and drug use, sexual and reproductive health, and, increasingly, mental health. We are proud to partner with government agencies, LAUSD and leading health and dental care providers to help make a difference in student health.”
Going forward, The L.A. Trust’s Wellness Center support will be driven by data. The L.A. Trust’s innovative Data xChange initiative will link healthcare and educational performance data to find ways to improve healthcare strategies and educational outcomes. “This 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 Puffer.
Funding for the Data xChange comes from grants from Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, DentaQuest and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation , among others.
“The L.A. Trust is an independent nonprofit devoted to the students of the LAUSD, but the vast majority of our budget comes from outside funders and agencies,” Puffer said. “These relationships help us serve as a bridge between the education and healthcare and connect the dots in student health.”
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.