Inner-City Students Receive On-Campus Health Care
 redominantly
low-income elementary students of Hawthorne School District were once faced with recurring
problems of lice, malnutrition and asthma, as well as tuberculosis and other infectious
diseases. These problems began to decrease as students received preventive health care
services through a two-year, $50,000 grant from TCWF to the Robert F. Kennedy Medical
Center Foundation.
   Two years
ago, the RFK Medical Center Foundation teamed with the school district to establish the
Health and Dignity Center on the Zela Davis Elementary School campus, located in southwest
Los Angeles' Moneta Gardens community. The center, which is the first on-campus pediatric
health and social service program in the school district, offers immunization services,
health screenings, physical examinations, family health education and psychological
counseling. In addition, the center features a clothing bank, an art therapy area,
facilities for after-school tutoring and a soundproof room for hearing tests.
"The Health and Dignity Center exemplifies the Foundation's commitment to
increasing access to culturally sensitive preventive, health services," said TCWF
Senior Program Officer Gary Nelson. "By providing a medical home for underserved
children and their families at the school site, improved health and educational outcomes
are possible."
The RFK Medical Center Foundation has provided services to low-income communities with
high poverty and unemployment rates since its formation in 1997. Executive Director Sister
Elizabeth Parham met early on with the Moneta Gardens Improvement Committee, made up of
about 30 community members. The group identified its greatest concerns as immunizations,
physical exams and malnourishment services for the children.
"This is a very poor area and many of the parents do not have health insurance and
can't afford to take their children for basic health treatment and services," Sister
Parham said.
The RFK Medical Center Foundation provided nurses to start immunization services and
preschool physicals. The grant from TCWF helped them become more comprehensive and
integrated in the delivery of its services.
 "Thanks to the support of The California
Wellness Foundation and additional fundraising efforts, we have expanded our services and
now have these beautiful facilities and are able to provide a full, wide range of health
services to the children," Sister Parham said.
Since the Health and Dignity Center opened in October 1999, more than 1,600 students
have received health and social service assistance. Sister Parham said most of the
students have been treated for stomachaches from malnutrition and for asthma, diabetes,
skin rashes and minor accidents.
In addition to the campus center, the RFK Medical Center Foundation has expanded its
services to include a special Medical Mobile Unit, funded in part by the California
Community and Centinella Health Care Foundations. The unit operates six days a week and
serves more than 1,000 patients per month in the Hawthorne, Inglewood and Lawndale
communities. It also provides health assistance to 16 elementary schools in the area.
Services offered include asthma testing and treatment, dental screenings, immunizations,
preschool physicals, health education and pulmonary, blood pressure, cholesterol and
sickle cell anemia screenings.
"This is such a wonderful project and brings us great joy to be able to reach out
with health care to the underserved in our community," Sister Parham said.
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