Vaccination efforts slow Delta wave of coronavirus in Southland

The L.A. Trust visited St. John’s busy vaccination operation in South L.A. Shown: CMO Dr. Anitha Mullangi (center) and Regional Medical Directors Dr. Sushant Bandarpalle and Dr. Matthew Welzenbach. 

   

Los Angeles County appears to be turning the corner on the Delta wave of COVID-19, thanks to increased vaccinations, greater testing and a return to physical distancing and mask wearing.  

“The L.A. Trust was proud to be part of the coalition encouraging voluntary vaccinations this summer” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health. “But now our effort to protect our students and families enters a new phase as Los Angeles Unified mandates vaccinations for all students 12 and older by January 10, 2022, unless they have a medical or other exemption.”   

Puffer said vaccine awareness will be more important now than ever. Those opposed or reluctant to getting the COVID-19 vaccine include the one of three L.A. County residents ages 12-17 who remain completely unvaccinated (L.A. County Department of Public Health, 9/9/2021).  

Listening to youth 

The L.A. Trust COVID-19 Youth Task Force, comprised of students from 16 Los Angeles Unified Hight Schools, has been working since March to educate themselves, their peers and their communities about the dangers of COVID-19 and the importance of getting vaccinated.  

The task force, funded by Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg, hit all its goals, educating hundreds of peers and community members and making thousands of impressions online. 

“These young people were true health activists,” said Esther Yepez, program manager for The L.A. Trust. “They not only became knowledgeable about the complex issues involved, they also learned how to effectively present this information and advocate for vaccination with their peers and communities.” 

Task force members were positive about the experience. One said they “gained confidence and skills in public data analysis, researching and community outreach.”  Another said they had learned “patience by getting in debates and struggling to get my point across.”  

Universal vaccination 

The L.A. Trust joined the L.A. County Department of Public Health, the Public Health Institute and 12 clinics and agencies to increase vaccinations and vaccine awareness as part of the We Vaccinate L.A. County campaign this summer. 

“Our school- and community-based clinics have been doing heroic work,” Puffer said. “St. John’s Well Child & Family Centers have administered more than 300,000 COVID shots alone — that’s just incredible.”  

Other participating providers are Eisner Pediatric and Family Center, LAUSD Wellness Programs, Northeast Valley Health Corporation, South Bay Family Center, Social Model Recovery Systems, South Central Family Health Center, T.H.E. Clinic, UMMA Community Clinic, Valley Community  Healthcare, ViaCare and Watts Healthcare Corporation. 

The L.A. Trust supported the community campaign with its own multilingual social media effort, reaching tens of thousands of L.A. County residents.  

L.A. Unified mandate 

“Getting to universal vaccination is going to require a lot of hard work, education, understanding and love,” Puffer said. “Teamwork, like we’ve seen in this effort, is critical.”  

School board member Dr. George J. McKenna III noted tha vaccine mandates are nothing new. “Mandatory immunizations for eligible students protect the entire Los Angeles Unified family. I’m old enough to remember when polio crippled some of my classmates. In fact, school children received the first, life-saving polio vaccination in 1954. Keep in mind that nationwide, more than 250,000 children (about half the population of Wyoming) were diagnosed with COVID-19 last week.”  

“The science is clear – vaccinations are an essential part of protection against COVID-19,” Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly said. “The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and requiring eligible students to be vaccinated is the strongest way to protect our school community.” 

To learn more, find a vaccination site near you and make an appointment, visit VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). You can also call 833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation or scheduling a home visit if you are homebound. Vaccinations are free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. 

The L.A. Trust, students and allies join suicide prevention campaign

Belmont SAB members asked their peers, “What makes life worth living?” at the first in-person campus campaign in nearly two years. Esther Yepez (center) distributed L.A. Trust hoodies to the health activists. 

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health continued its education and outreach on student mental health during Suicide Prevention Awareness Week in September. 

“Every week should be suicide prevention week,” said Senior Program Manager Robert Renteria of The L.A. Trust. “These are stressful times and our teens, especially, are going through a stressful time of life,” he said. “It is up to all of us to listen when youth talk about hurting themselves or feeling depressed.” 

The L.A. Trust and its student-run Student Advisory Boards held a tabling event at Belmont Hight and posted extensively on social media during the week, culminating in a one-hour online workshop marking World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10. 

The workshop was hosted by Renteria and Francisco Dussan of L.A. Unified Student and was attended by members of The L.A. Trust, L.A. Unified and other organizations. 

“Guy with a story”

It featured and guest speaker Greg Elsasser, an author, English teacher and three-time suicide survivor. Elsasser prefaced his remarks by saying, “I’m not an expert, just a guy with a story.”  

He said he had suffered from depression since childhood and had seen more than 30 therapists, counselors and clergy. “I was never honest with them when I was young,” he said.  

He said his big secret was being gay. “I never dealt with my sexuality,” he said. “I did not want to be shunned by my family, my God and my church.” Elsasser’s first suicide attempt was when he was 15 and his last was 7 years ago.  

 The equation changed when he started asking himself how his suicide would harm him. He made lists of things he wanted to do. “They were small things at first, like watching the next season of Game of Thrones.” As his lists got longer and his dreams got bigger the desire to escape life lessened. “I don’t wait till things are spiraling out of control,” Elsasser said. “I realize that there’s nothing that can’t be fixed.”  

Dussan said LGBTQ+ youth more vulnerable to suicide. He provided several resources available 24/7 for those seeking help, including the Trevor Project (866 488-7386), focused on LGBTQ+ youth but open to all, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800 273 8255 in English and Spanish). You can also text HELLO TO 741741 anytime. 

The L.A. Trust launches new website and campaign

The L.A. Trust’s new website and rallying cry — Putting the care in student healthcare — is the culmination of a reinvention and rebranding initiative started last year.

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has launched a new rallying cry, website and outreach to help it better serve students, community members, allies and healthcare partners throughout the region.

“This website is the part of a reinvention process we began last year,” said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust. “Since then, we’ve developed new strategies, values, vision and mission statements. We introduced new branding, communications and outreach. Today we introduce a new website and a new rallying cry, ‘Putting the care in student healthcare.’

Multiple pandemics

“We’re fighting multiple pandemics.” Puffer said. “Our students are hurting, our communities are struggling and many of our institutions are reeling. Our new rallying cry represents The L.A. Trust’s commitment to help our kids and teens address the challenges they face.”

Rob Wray, associate director for communications and media at The L.A. Trust said, “Our new website tells the story of The L.A. Trust. It outlines our missions, showcases our work and provides important resources on student health,” he said.

“This site, developed in-house and by LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing, is the beginning of the process, not the end,” he said. “We will add more resources, more news and more stories going forward, evolving with the needs of our constituents  and partners.

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.”