The L.A. Trust
Serving Youth and Families in Los Angeles
The L.A. Trust bridges the gap between health and education by expanding access to school-based wellness centers and programs across Los Angeles. As Los Angeles Unified School District’s backbone health organization, The L.A. Trust partners with schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations to ensure students and families can access comprehensive, culturally responsive care.
Through 20 Wellness Centers located at high-need schools, The L.A. Trust provides mental health, oral health, and referral services—helping remove barriers to care and supporting student well-being so young people can thrive academically and personally.
Spotlighting the Campaign: Advocacy on Student Health Issues
Youth leadership. Health advocacy. A movement for change.
Advocacy on Student Health Issues is a youth-led campaign developed by The L.A. Trust as part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative – Community Alliances for Local Impact (CYBHI CALI) grant. Through the Wellness Youth Advocate (WYA) program, students are equipped to lead peer education, raise awareness, and advocate for improved mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) health supports in their schools.
The initiative engages youth across six high schools, with student leaders participating in weekly trainings and leading outreach efforts such as campus events, classroom presentations, and social media campaigns. These efforts focus on reducing stigma, promoting mental health awareness, and connecting peers to school-based wellness resources.
To see this work in action, this video from The L.A. Trust highlights the Wellness Center at Elizabeth Learning Center, where students share how access to services like primary care, dental, vision, and mental health support is making a meaningful difference in their lives.
By centering diverse youth—including Black, Latino, LGBTQ+, immigrant, and foster youth—this campaign ensures that student voices drive solutions, helping to create more equitable, supportive school environments.
