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Board hears reports on districtwide wellness centers; staff cite thousands of student visits and peer-mentor programs
Summary
District wellness staff and students described wellness centers at multiple campuses, reporting thousands of visits and partnerships with Ventura County Behavioral Health and community groups; trustees pressed on screening tools, referral pathways and funding sustainability.
District staff, counselors and student wellness peers presented a comprehensive report on the Santa Paula Unified School District's network of wellness centers on March 11, telling trustees the centers have become a frequent point of contact for students seeking social-emotional support.
Presenters described site-level programming and caseloads: Barbara Webster's wellness center reported about 2,922 visits through Feb. 27 and hosts wellness peers and parent workshops; Blanchard's center reported roughly 479 visits and multiple parent workshops; Isabelle's center reported about 3,116 visits (including early-morning drop-in), and Santa Paula High School's Nest reported about 1,409 visits and 20 referrals to Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH) as of the slides shown. Presenters emphasized daily drop-in check-in/check-out procedures, small-group SEL lessons, partnerships with county and nonprofit providers, and training for peer mentors.
Staff explained screening and referral procedures. At the high school level the district uses a questionnaire (PSC-35) to help determine eligibility for VCBH clinician services; lower-level needs are addressed in the wellness centers themselves while higher scores prompt referrals to district counselors or county clinicians. Trustees asked whether the district can bill Medi-Cal for certain services; the district said staff will follow up with details.
Trustees also explored implementation details: how centers preserve instructional time (staff said most visits are during lunch and recess and many are short "check-in" visits), how the district documents outcomes for grant partners, and how the district plans to sustain centers after initial grant funding expires. Administration said it received notice that the VCBH grant would be extended for 2025-26 and that the district will pace prior SBHIP funds to sustain elementary centers, but warned that grant timelines and state-level funding remain uncertain.
Student wellness peers and parents spoke to the centers' impact; several students gave short statements about how a wellness center helped them calm down, learn coping skills, or support friends. Trustees praised the student speakers and asked staff for comparative outcome data when available.
Trustees asked for follow-up on possible Medi-Cal billing, the district's use of universal screening data, and comparative metrics the county will provide. Presenters said they already collect visit and referral counts, host SEL programming for classrooms, and partner with county behavioral health and community groups on activities such as drum circles and sound baths.
Board members said they appreciated the work but expressed concern about sustainability if county or state funding changes; district leaders said they have a plan to pace existing grant funds and will continue pursuing renewals and other funding sources while reporting back to the board.
The presentation concluded with trustees thanking student presenters and asking district staff to return with comparative data, Medi-Cal billing information and a plan for preserving services if grant funding shifts.
