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Amani Union outlines districtwide mental‑health program; reports 8,500 wellness‑center visits
Summary
Director of student supports Alejandro Leon told the board the district logged about 8,500 wellness‑center visits this year and roughly 350 referrals to partner agencies, described expanded telehealth and dental pilots, and said the district won a Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative implementation grant.
Alejandro Leon, the district director who leads student supports, told the Almani Union High School District Board of Trustees on April 2 that the district has built an integrated network of wellness centers, partner agencies and in‑school supports intended to reduce barriers to care for high‑school students. “We are at approximately 8,500 registered and documented visits to the center,” Leon said, adding that about 350 referrals to outside mental‑health agencies have been recorded this year.
Those services include on‑site wellness centers staffed by wellness coordinators and clerks, partnerships with agencies such as AltaMed (mobile dental screening pilot) and Hazel Health (telehealth), and a “wellness pass” that lets students take a short mental‑health break during the day. Leon described a three‑tier (MTSS) approach: universal “Tier 1” awareness and coping skills, targeted Tier 2 supports and intensive Tier 3 services for students with the greatest needs.
The presentation stressed connections with community partners including Pacific Clinics, Vision to Learn (services paused during restructuring), El Monte Urgent Care, probation‑department resources, Department of Children and Family Services liaison support, and the district attorney’s office for some reengagement work. Leon also said the district was notified it had been awarded a Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative implementation grant and is awaiting results for a community‑schools grant application.
Trustees asked detailed procedural questions. The board confirmed the district is not yet using a universal mental‑health screener but is studying options and, as Leon explained, is cautious about deploying any instrument until staff can ensure they have capacity to respond to increased identified needs. The superintendent and trustee discussion emphasized reentry procedures after hospitalization: counselors and wellness coordinators jointly handle follow‑up, review medical documentation and create safety plans when needed.
Trustees raised language and cultural‑competency concerns for parent outreach. Leon said workshops and communications are currently offered in English and Spanish, and the district will engage outside agencies (for example, Asian Pacific Clinics) and translation services on demand; trustees pressed for verification that clinical terms are accurately translated and culturally appropriate. Trustees also discussed expanding peer‑support and youth certification programs; Leon said informal peer‑support roles already exist in wellness centers and staff will explore formal certification pathways.
Why it matters: Leon framed the strategy as removing barriers to access and destigmatizing mental health so students can be ready to learn. If grant awards are sustained and clinical partnerships expand, the district expects to scale services and pursue billing/medicaid reimbursement options tied to the behavioral‑health grant.
What’s next: District staff will return with follow‑up on potential screeners, plans for language/cultural competency in parent outreach, and the community‑schools grant status.
