The San Francisco Wellness Initiative is a collaborative effort to support student health and well-being. Established in response to the needs identified by a wide-scale youth survey, the initiative links students to a comprehensive array of physical and behavioral health services through both on-campus programming and community-based partnerships.
With leadership from the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF), Department of Public Health (DPH) and the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), the initiative is building on existing resources to improve the way government agencies, the school district and community-based organizations work together to address student health needs.
In collaboration with school site administrators, the initiative manages Wellness Programs in fifteen public high schools and two middle schools. In addition, the programs bring community-based organizations onto campuses, provide referrals to public and private health providers, and educate youth about resources and services available both on and off campus.
This comprehensive approach to addressing student needs is proving successful. Since the programs began in 2000, there have been measurable improvements in individual academic achievements, as well as overall campus environments. According to research conducted by ETR Associates, students enrolled in high schools with Wellness Programs reported fewer health risk factors compared to students attending other schools.
"Wellness services are an essential tool for improving
student achievement. The stressors facing students will inevitably spill into
the classroom, but with the Wellness Program, we have the means to proactively
address them."
Ron
Pang - Principal,
Lincoln High School
The core staff at the Wellness Programs includes a site coordinator, school nurse, part-time mental health and substance abuse counselors and student and professional outreach workers. This team works to identify student health concerns that might otherwise go unnoticed, undiagnosed or untreated. In 2003, more than 50% of the students receiving ongoing mental health and substance abuse treatment through the Wellness Programs reported they would not have received these services if their school did not have a Wellness Program.
Contact Us
For
more information about the Wellness Initiative, contact:
Stacey Blankenbaker,
Initiative Manager
555 Franklin Street, Rm. 308-A
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: 415-522-6738
Fax: 415-522-6792
Initiative
Newsletter, Spring 2004 | Initiative
Newsletter, Winter 2005
Evaluation Results
ETR Associates is the independent evaluator of the San Francisco Wellness Initiative. The below documents showcase the results of several years of ETR's evaluations.
-Final Initiative Profile 2007-2008
Final
Initiative Profile 2006-2007 (part 1)
Final Initiative Profile 2006-2007 (part 2)
-Final Profile Staff Insert 2004-2005
Final Initiative Profile 2004-2005
Final Initiative Profile 2003-2004
Final
Wellness Evaluation Report 2003-2004
Wellness Program Locations
For a list of the Wellness Programs and contact information, please download the linked document.
Community Partners
The San Francisco Wellness Initiative works with a variety of partners in the local community. These partners expand the breadth and depth of wellness-related services by providing support to the seven campus Wellness Programs and direct services to the students. Below is a partial list of the community-based organizations partnering with the initiative.
Asian American Recovery Services
(AARS)
Bayview Hunters Point Foundation
Black Firefighters Association
Community Youth Center
Ella Hill Hutch Community Center
Golden Gate Community Center
Horizons Unlimited
Huckleberry Youth Services
Jewish
Family & Children’s
Services
La Casa de las Madres
Mission Neighborhood Centers
New Generation Health Center
Purple Sun
Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS)
Samoan Community Development
Center
San Francisco Beacon Initiative
San Francisco State University,
Psychology Department
Sunset Youth Services
University of California, San Francisco
Vietnamese Youth Development Center
Vision Youthz
West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center
