Teen Xpress, a unique school-based healthcare unit, provides complete medical and mental health care to underserved, uninsured, and at-risk students at several low-income middle and high schools in Orange County. The mobile health program provides free medical, case management, nutrition and mental health services to adolescents ages 11-18, serving an average of 800 students per year.
The need for this program can be seen by looking at the numbers:
- 78% of students report that they do not have a primary care physician or regular place where they receive healthcare.
- 72% of students report that they have not had a physical in over a year or in some cases, report never having had a physical.
A comprehensive exam is the first step in identifying concerns. From there, the team works to provide timely, efficient and coordinated care. Sometimes this care may be needed beyond the walls of the mobile unit with a specialist or community resource. Case Managers work diligently to find the needed resources for each patient. Many teens may also have adult onset issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. With the help of a dietician, the teens learn how to make practical healthy choices based on the resources available to their families.
Mental Health has always been a core service of Teen Xpress. Since COVID the need has become even more critical. Teens living in poverty face a unique set of challenges on top of those a typical teen would face.
As the need for more mental health services grew, so did the need for funding. A generous gift from the Gloria Norris Sales Charitable Fund helped provide additional funds to the program, paving the way for new services to be added. Teen Xpress has addressed the rise in need for services by creating therapy groups, utilizing virtual options and providing bi-lingual therapists. This comprehensive care, combining physical and mental treatment, helps adolescents live their fullest life in the healthiest way possible.