Articles
Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in student health, education, and our organization's updates and events.
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.
Distance-learning physical education taught surprising lessons
A year of distance-learning PE taught school leaders and teachers valuable lessons, according to a new report from The L.A. Trust, L.A. Unified and UCLA.
Physical education was even more critical to students’ physical and emotional engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report funded by the L.A. Dodgers Foundation and published in the Journal of School Health.
The report — Teachers’ and School Leaders’ Perspective on Distance Learning Physical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic — was a collaboration between UCLA, The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health and Los Angeles Unified. It was written by Dr. Rebecca Dudovitz, board member of The L.A. Trust and associate professor, David Geffen School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics at UCLA; Jocelyn Vilchez, Physical Education K-12 Specialist, Los Angeles Unified Division of Instruction; Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust; and John Kruse, director of physical education at LAUSD.
Dudovitz said, “Many of the lessons learned during distance learning will enhance physical education moving forward, including a deeper focus on educational standards, emphasizing the integration of physical education into students’ daily lives, use of technology to enhance learning, and the importance of social-emotional learning as a core component of physical education.”
Maryjane Puffer of The L.A. Trust said, “This report recognizes the creativity and hard work our students and physical education teachers put in during the pandemic. We know that PE is good for students — we must devote more time and invest more resources to this, especially in our under-served schools.”
Speaking to experts
Using purposive and snowball sampling, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 physical education teachers and school health experts across 21 California school districts on best practices for physical education via distance learning.
Four major themes emerged, the report stated: Participants felt high-quality physical education via distance learning was both critical and possible; strategies for creating a successful distance learning environment included personalization, creativity and inclusiveness; and resources necessary for success included professional development, administrative support and equipment.
“I was surprised that overwhelmingly, our participants felt that high-quality physical education was possible during distance learning, and (by) the real enthusiasm for creativity and new learning approaches the pandemic motivated,” Dudovitz said. But “many participants also described the unequal access to physical fitness many low-income students faced and the high need for social-emotional support. They also described feeling the physical education was often under-valued, relative to core academic subjects,” she added.
The report’s bottom line: “Participants identified effective strategies, challenges, and recommendations for the future; felt optimistic about their ability to provide quality physical education via distance learning given the necessary supports; and perceived that they played a critical role in supporting student health during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Teachers and safety protocols greet returning L.A. students
L.A. Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner greets returning students this week at Maurice Sendak Elementary School in North Hollywood.
Thirteen months after the start of the coronavirus quarantine, L.A. Unified students are starting to return to campus this week, and other local districts are following suit. But it will take a big commitment, and a big investment, to get schools and students back on track, according to Austin Beutner, superintendent of Los Angeles Unified.
“Reopening of schools is not a simple exercise,” Beutner said. “COVID safety protocols and testing, class schedules and lesson plans, after-school programs, transportation, meals and much more all need to come together.”
“It’s heartening to see our students back on campus after this difficult quarantine,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health. ”We must do everything we can to help them recover what they’ve lost in academics and healthcare.”
This week 72 early education and elementary schools are re-opening for families who have selected in-person learning. The remaining early education and elementary schools will open next week, and middle and high schools will reopen the week of April 26.
Students and staff are required to take a COVID test before returning to school. L.A. Unified provides testing sites and locations for students and families to obtain a test. The testing hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until April 25. Visit the testing website or call the Family Hotline at 213-443-1300 to schedule an appointment.
Closing opportunity gaps
“The opportunity gaps for students from families who are struggling to get by will only worsen if they’re not back in schools with their peers from more affluent neighborhoods,” Beutner said in a video update to the LAUSD community.
“It’s simple enough to see the solution — providing vaccinations for families with children in schools is the single most important thing we can do to get more children back in school classrooms.” L.A. Unified has partnered with the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and Northeast Community Clinics to provide 25 school-based vaccination centers.
Unprecedented investment
An unprecedented investment from the state and federal governments in public schools are invested in services for mental, student disabilities, and proper sterilization of LAUSD campuses for the 2021-22 school year, the superintendent reported.
Beutner said, “$170 million will provide more mental health counselors at schools to help students process the anxiety and trauma of the past year… $140 million investment will update Individualized Education Programs and provide more direct services to students. To help keep schools clean and safe, we’ll invest an additional $220 million in custodial staff, cleaning supplies, upgraded facilities and COVID testing.”
One challenge: While L.A. Unified saw the same proportion of graduates enrolling in four-year colleges, there was a 9% drop in those who enrolled in two-year colleges. This issue is most acute in lower-income communities.
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.
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.
Data xChange points way to better healthcare solutions
Dr. Ron Tanimura said The L.A. Trust’s Data xChange would drive new healthcare strategies to better serve students and communities.
Technologies like telehealth and initiatives like The L.A. Trust Data xChange are key to better student health outcomes, according to speakers at the online Wellness Network Learning Collaborative on May 7, 2020. Dr. Ron Tanimura, director of student health services at LAUSD, and Sang Leng Trieu, wellness program manager for The L.A. Trust, gave an update on The L.A. Trust Data xChange, which compiles and compares detailed Wellness Center patient data. They spoke to more than 100 representatives from LAUSD and the District’s Wellness Centers.
Pia V. Escudero, executive director of LAUSD Student Health and Human Services and a member of the executive committee of The L.A. Trust, noted that the clinic network was founded almost 15 years ago “to reduce health disparities impacting the lifespans of our children in families.” She said “there’s still a lot of work to do,” and insights like the Data xChange are key to finding effective solutions.
“The data is so wonderful,” Escudero said. “It gives us a good baseline to start having future conversations and doing some hypothesis working and strategic planning in this transformational time that we’re living in.”
Tanimura said data was critical. “We have to look at every one of our divisions and departments and integrate and (utilize) some of the resources we have outside, mainly The L.A. Trust. I thank you for the work you are doing, especially on Data xChange.”
He added, “The more data we get the better. When we look at the Data xChange, this is a thousand times better than just encounter data. We look forward to integrating all the data – dental, mental health, attendance and other academic data. Imagine what we will be able to do for our kids and their communities.”
Current reports include such measures as unique patient visits, type of patient encounters, co-morbid conditions, demographics and student vs. community visits. The database also tracks services provided and benchmarks on key performance standards, including risk assessments, well-child exams, BMI screening, chlamydia tests and depression screening.
The L.A. Trust distributed report cards with clinical metrics to each clinic in February and will add new datasets on mental and oral health later this year, expanding the database insights.
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.
Students find a healthcare home at LAUSD Wellness Centers
LAUSD’s network of Wellness Centers, like this one operated by South Central Family Health Center, are on the front lines of student and community health.
When a Delta 777 passenger plane dumped a load of aviation fuel over the Cudahy area last month, students at six LAUSD schools were affected—and the Wellness Center at Elizabeth Learning Center sprung into action.
The clinic, operated by South Central Family Health Center, offered free screenings to everyone in the community, regardless of insurance, immigration status or ability to pay. The clinic is part of Los Angeles Unified School District’s network of Student and Family Wellness Centers, which provide a healthcare home for students and community members in the district’s most underserved neighborhoods. Tens of thousands of students and community members rely on the clinics each year.
“When there’s an environmental emergency, a flu outbreak or a spike in STDs, the Wellness Centers often see it first,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health. “They are on the front lines of student and community health, and the services they provide are indispensable. Nothing is more important to The L.A. Trust than supporting these clinics.”
Partners in health
The L.A. Trust provided direct financial support to the six original LAUSD school-based health clinics between 1994 and 2002. Since then it has worked closely with LAUSD Health and Human Services to support the development of 15 (soon to be 19) new school-based Wellness Centers, focusing on strategies to make them self-sufficient and sustainable.
“Our Wellness Center support mission today includes a broad range of prevention programs, best practices and research,” Puffer said. She cited The L.A. Trust’s groundbreaking Data xChange initiative, student engagement efforts and Wellness Network Learning Collaborative workshops as examples of how The L.A. Trust supports the clinics.
The Wellness Center Network is overseen by LAUSD Health and Human Services, headed by Executive Director Pia V. Escudero. Professional services are provided by these Federally qualified health centers: Asian Pacific Healthcare Venture at Belmont; Eisner Health at Santee Education Complex; Kaiser Permanente, LAUSD Student Medical Services and Planned Parenthood Los Angeles at Hollywood High; Mission City Community Network at Maywood Center for Enriched Studies; Northeast Community Clinics at Gage Middle School; St. John’s Well Child and Family Center at Manual Arts High and Washington Prep; South Central Family Health Center at Elizabeth Learning Center and Jefferson High; South Bay Family Health Center at Carson High; T.H.E. (To Help Everyone) Health and Wellness Centers at Crenshaw High; UMMA Community Clinic at Fremont High; Valley Community Healthcare at North Hills-Monroe High; Via Care at Garfield High; and Watts Health at Jordan High and Locke Early Education Center.
Primary care plus
In addition to primary and dental care, most LAUSD Wellness Centers provide mental health services to students and community members. LAUSD School Mental Health provides intervention, care and referral at the Belmont, Carson, Crenshaw, Elizabeth, Gage, Locke, Maywood and Washington Prep Wellness Centers.
Other mental health services providers include Aviva Family and Children’s Services at Hollywood High; Child and Family Guidance Center at North Hills-Monroe; Children’s Institute at Jordan; Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic at Manual Arts; and Weber Community Center at Fremont.
“Our kids hold all the promise in the world,” Puffer said. “Helping support them with access to care—whether it’s asthma, anxiety, depression or substance use—is part of the holistic wellness mission of The L.A. Trust. ”
A ground-breaking year for The L.A. Trust and its partners in student health
Maryjane Puffer joined students and community leaders at the groundbreaking for a new Student and Family Wellness Center at Mendez Learning Center December 15.
The year 2019 was a busy one for The Los Angeles Trust and its partners, and 2020 will be busier still. Thanks to its partners and stakeholders, last year The L.A. Trust:
Made final preparations for the launch of its ground-breaking Data xChange initiative, which will link confidential Wellness Center data with academic performance numbers to improve outcomes on both.
Supported LAUSD’s growing network of Student and Family Wellness Centers, helped dedicate new clinics at Santee Education Complex and other schools, and hosted two Learning Collaboratives where clinicians received critical data and best practices on student healthcare.
Provided oral health education and partnered with More L.A. Smiles to provide free dental screenings and interventions to thousands of kindergartners and third-graders at LAUSD elementary schools.
Supported anti-vaping and substance use education efforts across the District, assisting student outreach and hosting a Vaping 101 webinar series for clinicians and others.
Hosted a Youth2Youth Summit engaging 100 student health advocates and their adult allies from across the District.
Presented recipes, nutrition and food-shopping advice at more than 50 classroom and community events as part of the CalFresh Health Living initiative.
Worked with UCSF research staff on the development and delivery of the “Health-E You/Salud iTu,” an app-based contraception awareness program focused on Latina youth. The program resulted in a 117% increase in the use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (results will be published in leading health journals this year).
Partnered with leading healthcare organizations and announced important new program grants, driving the organization’s mission through 2021.
Hired new staff, including Marsha Ellis as director of programs; Rob Wray as associate director of communications and media; Mackenzie Scott as student engagement coordinator; and Danielle Griffin as student engagement assistant.
2020 vision
“We had a great 2019,” said Executive Director Maryjane Puffer, “and we have laid the groundwork for a truly breakthrough year in 2020.”
She said The L.A. Trust has a new strategic plan, a new logo and a new mission statement: “Bridging the worlds of health and education to achieve student wellness.”
“We also have our first vision statement,” Puffer stated. “It’s ‘A world where every student is healthy and successful.’ We have always stood for this, but this is our northstar and it’s important to share it.”
Puffer said The L.A. Trust will reintroduce itself in the spring with a new website and a new awareness campaign. “The L.A. Trust believes nothing is more important to the future of our country than the health of our kids. In 2020, we will be better positioned than ever to help advance student health where it’s needed most.”
‘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.