Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles recently announced plans to put 50 clinics inside LA County high schools. Called Wellbeing Centers, the facilities would provide not only physical health services but also mental health services and resources for students and parents. Two months after the announcement, Sue Walden, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, spoke to YES! about the five clinics that started the program, the progress so far, and their plans for expansion. In the interview, Walden described the program and how it has surpassed expectations in a few ways. She also spoke about how their success has changed her outlook for the future of the PPLA Wellbeing Centers in high schools.

The lack of resources and information about STIs, STDs, and reproductive health is well-known. These barriers can make it difficult for people to seek treatment, which has led to a high rate of infection in young people. DoSomething.Org reports that there are 20 million new sexually transmitted infections a year, and 50% of those infected are people between ages 15 and 24. They also found that 46% of high school students are or have been sexually active and are at risk for contracting an STI. The country as a whole is greatly affected by this, because the U.S. has the highest STD rate of all the countries that make up “the industrialized world.”

Walden says, “Mental and behavioral health issues, substance use, and lack of knowledge around sexual health can create barriers to academic success. Finding support to grapple with these issues generally requires students to go off-campus and means time away from class, money for transportation, and explaining your whereabouts to others, all hurdles that loom large for teens.” Considering these hurdles, the Wellbeing Centers will meet teens where they are in more ways than one.

Mental health rates are better. The National Alliance for Mental Illness reports that 50% of all life-long mental illnesses develop by age 14—that’s the age of the average ninth grader. Thus, the need for the Wellbeing Centers.

Read the full article about teen wellness by Jonita Davis at YES! Magazine.