The Humboldt Independent Practice Association School Based Wellness Programs
We believe that overall wellness is essential to academic success of Humboldt County students and are committed to recognizing the health and wellness needs of our diverse student population by promoting the social, emotional, and physical wellbeing of our students so that they may achieve their academic goals. This is achieved through the Humboldt IPA School Based Wellness Centers and programs located throughout Humboldt County. Our team is comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds and educations that are additionally trained in the skills required to work with youth. These include, Motivational Interviewing, Brief Intervention, Conflict Mediation, Cultural Inclusiveness and Equity, Youth Mental Health First Aid and many more. For more information about our team click here or contact our program directly at vvrtiak@humboldtipa.com.
SBWP Brochure
(Spanish Version)
If you are interested in getting a student connected with our services please complete our fillable referral form located here (SBWP Referral Form). Please email the form directly to vvrtiak@humboldtipa.com.
If you’re interested in our services, send us an email at vvrtiak@humboldtipa.com
Locations
| Alder Grove Charter School | Blue Lake Elementary School | College of the Redwoods |
| McKinleyville Middle School | Juvenile Hall | Northern United Charter School |
| Pacific Union Elementary/Middle School | Peninsula Elementary School | Sunny Brae Middle School |
| Zoe Barnum High School | Catherine L Zane Middle School | Redwood Coast Montessori School |
Our goals
- To provide an environment that is culturally sensitive, compassionate, accessible and confidential.
- To provide effective Health Education programs to help students develop healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices.
- To enhance the academic success through the provision of educational and co-curricular opportunities for student engagement.
Our Services
Sex Education & Puberty Education
Our team provide age appropriate, gender inclusive, and medically accurate comprehensive Sex Education that is in compliant with the California Healthy Youth Act. We utilize the Rights. Respect. Responsibility curriculum:, topics include but are not limited to: Anatomy, HIV, pregnancy, sexual harassment, sexual assault, healthy relationships, and human trafficking, as well as local resources for accessing care and students’ rights to access care.
Wellness Center Drop In Services
Locations with our on campus Wellness Centers, are staffed during school hours, M-F during the school year. Students have access to hygiene supplies, washer and dryer services, clothing, and a food pantry. In addition, we offer a safe space for students to recharge and be connected to additional community services.
Wellness Presentations
As a part of the School Based Wellness Center package, we offer Wellness Presentations. These presentations are developed by the School Based Wellness Center team, but with the suggestions of school partners. Some of these topics include: Anxiety & Depression, Healthy Relationships, Managing Stress, Consent, Nicotine & Vaping, Dangers of Sugar, The Effects of Cannabis on the Body, Body Image, Equality vs. Equity, Peer Pressure, and Bullying.
Brief Intervention
Brief Intervention (B.I.) are structured conversations designed to address issues students are having in the classroom, at home or with peers. Brief interventions can help with emotion regulation, classroom behavior, suspected or confirmed substance use, general misconduct, and source for developmental/social support. provides a forum for youth to talk about their alcohol, tobacco, or drug use.
Conflict Mediation Services
Conflict mediation brings two conflicting parties to the table, along with a professional mediator. It is the role of the mediator to act as a neutral third party to hear both sides of the story to be able to determine the root cause of the conflict and then to create a future-based plan as determined by both parties with optimal outcomes for all concerned.
Empowerment Groups
Empowerment groups are mentorship groups targeted at middle school and high school students. These groups are led by volunteer mentors with lived experiences among a variety of spectrums and are designed to help participants develop strong leadership and communication skills. These groups are voluntary peer support groups for all students on campus. Our groups use evidence-based curriculum from One Circle Foundation. We use a strengths-based approach, motivational interviewing strategies and provide a strong focus on positive youth development.
Goals for the groups:
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- Develop strong peer to peer support for identified students.
- Foster a deeper connection to community.
- Lower absenteeism rate for students. (Especially those students who are chronically suspended due to violence.)
- Promote leadership skills.
- Prepare students in their transition into adulthood.
- Encourage emotional wellness.
- Instill a sense of hope that each youth has a bright future and their lives are meaningful.
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Girls Group
Girls Group is a structured support group for girls and gender non confirming youth. We integrate resiliency practices designed to increase positive connection, strengths, and competence in girls.- Young Men’s Council
Young Men’s Council is a strengths-based group utilizing mentors with lived experience in the community to help promote boys’ and young men’s safe and healthy passage through pre-teen and adolescent years. In this structured environment, boys and young men gain the vital opportunity to address masculine definitions and behaviors and build capacities to find their innate value and create good lives -individually and collectively!
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Hear from our students! Why should you attend Young Men’s Council video
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- Pride
This support group is for people of all genders. We explore the complex ways in which race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, and gender intersect and shape, impede and/or strengthen the relational experiences and dimensions of adolescent development. - The Black Student Union
The Black Student Union fosters student growth and development through diversity, academics, community services, and outreach. We provide an opportunity for students of all races to celebrate black culture, lifestyle, and history.
- Pride
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Special Community Projects
Legacy Library
We believe that schools are the perfect place to promote healthy development, for every youth. We’re committed to recognizing the health needs of our diverse student population and promoting the social, emotional, and physical well being of our students so that they may achieve their academic goals.
We believe that positive representation can be helpful in increasing self-esteem for people of marginalized groups. For our 2021/2022, we partnered with Cal Poly Humboldt’s Recreation Department and Phatsy Klines to collect the books our students from our empowerment groups selected. Our empowerment groups address conditions and risks, and work towards building on protective factors that support all youth. Books were donated to the following school libraries: ERC Court and Community, The Juvenile Hall, Sunny Brae Middle School, McKinleyville Middle School, and McKinleyville High School.
Conversations on Justice
This event was developed out of the Young Men’s Council Empowerment Group, with the goal of promoting solutions for healing between law enforcement and youth impacted by the justice system.
Students watched the film, They Call Us Monsters. This film tells the story of three youth facing life in prison. After the screening, participants were able to meet with one of the film’s stars: Jarad Nava. Jarad discussed prevention strategies that would have helped change the course of his life. The final portion of Conversations on Justice was a panel discussion with local law enforcement, and formerly incarcerated people. Students wrote questions for the panelists, and developed an accountability statement for local law enforcement from their findings.
We hope that this event will continue on an annual basis, and will be developed by the students in the empowerment groups. We are deeply committed to ending the school to prison pipe line, and modeling strategies that promote accountability and healing.
