Wellness Programs
Wellness Programs are dynamic, integrated systems of support for each school site.
Wellness Programs provide:
Services for Students
Each Wellness center provides free, confidential services to students including behavioral health counseling, nursing services, support and empowerment groups, and connections to health resources in the community. Common topics include: Reproductive health, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, family & peer relationships, nutrition and healthy decision making. Wellness programs also offer workshops on yoga, healthy cooking, self-defense and other topics that promote a healthy lifestyle.
A Safe Space on Campus
At each Wellness Center, students find welcoming staff, an open-door policy during lunch and after school, a confidential place to come with any concern, and a safe place to hang out and meet friends.
School Wide Health Promotion
Wellness brings health education to the whole school via in-class presentations, school-wide campaigns and conferences, assemblies, guest speakers, and health/fitness fairs.
Youth Leadership Opportunities
Each Wellness Program has a team of Youth Outreach Workers –students who work with Wellness staff to develop and present health education workshops and school-wide events
Additional services for schools, staff, parents and the San Francisco community. (pdf)
Wellness Program Staff:
The core staff at the Wellness Programs include:
- A Site Coordinator who generally holds a Masters in Social Work and Pupil Personnel Services Credential and provides coordination and leadership at the site.
- A School Nurse, who provides students with basic first aid, medical referrals, school-based support for chronic health issues (such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy) medical referrals, and health education and counseling on nutrition, reproductive health, and other physical health issues.
- A Community Health Outreach Worker (CHOW), who establishes partnerships with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to provide services for students, both on and off campus, and is often the first person to greet students coming through the door to help them connect with the services they seek.
- A team of student Youth Outreach Workers
- And one or more Behavioral Health Counselors. With years of service to youth in the Bay Area, Richmond Area Multi-Services clinical therapists are the primary providers of onsite behavioral health counseling. As masters level- trained and/or licensed therapists, RAMS clinicians provide both one-on-one and group-based counseling sessions.
