At wellness centers, Downey students gain access to mental health services
DOWNEY – Greater accessibility to mental health and wellness services will be a major focus in Downey Unified as students return to classes on Aug. 11. A key part of this initiative is the creation of new Wellness Centers on the district’s four middle and three high school campuses.
The Wellness Centers will be each school’s mental health one-stop-shop, centralizing access to vital student services such as counseling, clinical therapy, community resource referrals and more, all under one roof.
“As a district, Downey Unified recognizes the importance of the whole child and wants to support our students’ educational abilities as well as their social emotional wellbeing—especially following such a challenging year,” said Superintendent Dr. John Garcia.
“These new Wellness Centers will provide students with increased access to expert emotional wellness staff and to school and community-based resources, allowing us to support more students than ever before during this critical transition back to full in-person learning.”
The extensive renovation of existing spaces into Wellness Centers took place over the summer; each with the installation and building of a check-in desk, up to five private offices for confidential counseling sessions, a conference table and a modular waiting area with inviting ottomans and bean bag seats for students seeking services.
Throughout the school year, each school will personalize their Wellness Center décor to reflect their school colors, spirit and student culture.
As the Centers grow and are integrated into campus life, the Wellness Centers may be able to accommodate group meetings to encourage student mental health clubs and host parent groups as well as be used for peer support and advocacy groups on campus.
It is important to Downey Unified that each Wellness Center site be in an easily accessible location that encourages students to seek invaluable mental health tools while also maintaining their right to privacy.
“Life happens. During the pandemic our students, families and the entire community have been impacted in some way. Mental health is a critical factor in everyone’s life, and this couldn’t be more true now more than ever before.
“Even in the Olympics we recently saw how even physically gifted athletes can be impacted by mental health,” shared Dr. Robert Jagielski, Senior Director of Student Safety, Wellness and Engagement.
“The way we face various tragedies, traumas and even celebrations has changed. In our technology-driven, social media centered world, our youth face challenges like never before and our goal is to have a place where students and families can find resources and support. We are proud that we will now have our Wellness Centers as well as our Centers’ staff and service providers to centralize our support systems.”
Upon the return to school, students will be able to access existing and new services by simply walking in to meet with Wellness Center staff and scheduling an appointment. Trained academic counselors and teachers will also be encouraged to help identify students who they feel can benefit from Wellness Center resources.
Students who are identified as needing extended support, such as during a particularly difficult time, will be granted access to the Wellness Center during the school day to attend scheduled appointments with an on-campus Licensed Clinical Therapist or guided toward community-based resources that may fit their individual needs.
Among Downey Unified’s longstanding partnerships with various area mental health service providers, Pacific Clinics will provide the most robust on-campus program in the district.
The Wellness Centers’ dedicated staff will work collaboratively with academic counselors to provide personalized pathways for students to seamlessly transition between academic and wellness support.
With the addition of three full-time therapists at Downey and Warren high schools and two at Columbus High and each of Downey Unified’s four middle schools, each secondary school will be more than doubling the availability of services and staff to students. Beyond the secondary schools, Downey Unified’s 13 elementary schools will also have additional therapists assigned and available to elementary students as needed.
“Although we have always had numerous supports in place, with the opening of seven new on-campus Wellness Centers at each of our middle and high schools, we can proudly say Downey Unified is on its way to creating a model districtwide program that will proactively provide students with the much-needed support this upcoming school year and beyond,” further shared Dr. Jagielski.