With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
LA County Is Putting Mini Health Clinics On High School Campuses

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has opened dozens of "Wellbeing Centers" on high school campuses, providing everything from checkups to mental health services to pregnancy tests.
The county has opened 34 centers -- mostly at Los Angeles Unified School District schools -- since the beginning of the month, and it plans to have 50 by early next year.
The centers function like mini-clinics, with exam tables and medical supplies. They're open three-and-a-half days a week.
Each center has two Master's level health educators who can talk with students about things like substance abuse and healthy relationships.
The health educators have received training from the Department of Public Health to deal with trauma, depression and stress, which are "increasing so much among adolescents right now," said Ellen Sanchez, the centers' program manager.
'WE WERE ON LOCKDOWN...IT WAS SOMETHING VERY SCARY'
That's welcome news for Josué Molina, a senior at Esteban Torres High School in East L.A., home of the first Wellbeing Center.
Last month, police shot and killed a man who brought a three-foot sword onto Esteban Torres' campus.
"We were on lockdown for pretty much the whole day," Molina said. "It was something very scary. I think this program would have helped us clear our minds away [and] try to focus on the important stuff."
The centers are for students who want to get connected with outside mental health services, too.
According to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, one out of three teens in L.A. reported feeling sad and hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in the past year.
"We know that opening these Wellbeing Centers is happening at a really important time in the life of our nation," Ferrer said. "The world for our young people is vastly different, and way more complicated."
PREGNANCY TESTS, BIRTH CONTROL AND MORE
The centers are also seeking student volunteers who will serve as peer leaders. They'll be trained to assist with educational campaigns, and can learn about careers in healthcare.
Planned Parenthood has partnered with the county to provide pregnancy testing, birth control and other sexual health services at five of the centers one day a week. Eventually it will be in all 50 centers.
"What we're essentially doing in the clinics is replicating the services we provide in a school setting," said Anne Matining, vice president of patient services at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
-
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
-
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
-
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.