Wellness Center Toolkit helps schools support the whole child

We’re thrilled to share the launch of the Wellness Center Toolkit, a new resource designed to help schools bring health and wellness directly to students and families.

Developed by The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health (The L.A. Trust) in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s (LACOE) Greater Los Angeles Regional Transformational Assistance Center (R-TAC), this toolkit was created to make it easier for schools to start or expand health services right on campus.

At its core, the Wellness Center Toolkit is a how-to guide for building or growing school-based health programs, whether that means opening a wellness center, expanding behavioral health services, or partnering with local healthcare providers. It walks schools through the process step by step and includes adaptable models that can be tailored to meet each school’s unique needs. The goal is simple: to ensure students have access to the care they need—physical, mental, and emotional—so they can show up ready to learn and thrive.

The L.A. Trust took the lead in developing and writing the toolkit, drawing on its deep experience connecting schools with health partners across Los Angeles. Through our partnership with the Greater Los Angeles R-TAC, we collaborated with LACOE’s Community Schools Initiative to shape a resource that is both practical and impactful for our communities.    

The Greater Los Angeles R-TAC plays a vital role in supporting community schools throughout Los Angeles County. Community schools serve as neighborhood hubs that provide not only academics, but also social services, family engagement, and wellness supports. Through its transformational assistance efforts, the Greater Los Angeles R-TAC helps these schools strengthen their integrated support systems, deepen ties with local partners, and build more equitable learning environments. Working alongside grantees of the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP), the Greater Los Angeles R-TAC provides guidance, collaboration, and resources to help schools implement the Community Schools Framework.

Together, our organizations share a vision: that every school can become a place where students’ health and learning go hand in hand. By making wellness a central part of education, schools can help break down barriers such as lack of access to healthcare or mental health support—barriers that often stand in the way of student success.

The Wellness Center Toolkit isn’t just a set of instructions, it’s an invitation. It invites schools, districts, and community partners to join in building healthier, more supportive learning environments across Los Angeles County. When schools prioritize wellness, they invest in their students’ futures and in the well-being of the entire community.