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Students describe peer harm‑reduction work and push to expand school wellness centers, board members applaud
Summary
Student interns from the CAD mental health and harm‑reduction internship described naloxone training, needle‑exchange participation, partnerships with the district and county DA, and a push to expand private wellness centers at Justin Garza and Central East.
Students from Central Unified’s CAD (Chagata Jogada Movement) internship and student leaders presented on May 13 about harm‑reduction work, naloxone access and efforts to expand school wellness centers.
Chase Wilson, Associated Student Body president at Central East High School, gave a school‑level report on senior activities and mental‑health efforts. Mia Morales, representing Central Online Homeschool, described field trips and student exhibitions.
CAD interns — who identified themselves as Dershawn, Spenbreath, Zooklyn, Samuel and others — told the board their program includes CPR and naloxone certification, needle‑exchange volunteer work and community outreach events. The interns said district policy has helped place naloxone (Narcan) in every classroom and that the district facilitated visits from the county district attorney and a DEA officer for student presentations on fentanyl risks and naloxone use. Interns described a recent town‑hall on substance use and mental health, outreach partnerships with the San Joaquin Medical Group and local agencies, and a wellness‑center site visit that the students said highlighted privacy and resource differences among campuses.
Students said their next priority is to expand wellness‑center space and privacy at Justin Garza and Central East so students have confidential, accessible mental‑health services. Trustee Chavez publicly commended the students, described personal support for mental‑health openness and committed board attention to supporting student efforts. President Singh and other trustees thanked the student presenters for their work.
The students attributed some county progress on fentanyl deaths to broad local efforts; they offered approximate figures during their remarks (students said numbers varied over recent years). Board members limited their comments to praise and questions about expansion and access.
The presentation was informational; no contract or budget action was taken at the May 13 meeting.
