In the Neighborhood : Norwalk: Put Health Care Where Kids Are

Kaiser Permanente’s Bellflower Medical Center, part of California’s largest health maintenance organization, asked Norwalk officials last year which city neighborhood could benefit from a free immunization event, they suggested the community around Edmundson Elementary School. Many of the working-class families who live in this part of the southeast Los Angeles County lack private health insurance, but usually earn too much to qualify for Medi-Cal. Even so, local officials and Kaiser Permanente workers were stunned when more than 500 people came to an event expected to draw about 150 people. They were just as shocked weeks later when they found that 20% of those who completed TB exams tested positive for exposure to the disease.

The numbers alone signaled that the neighborhood had serious unmet medical needs. Kaiser and the city decided to bring care to the community by helping establish a childrens’ clinic at the elementary school. The Edmundson Well Child Clinic now provides basic health care for free to any Edmundson student. A pediatrician and nurse from Kaiser Permanente donate their time to provide medical screenings, offer health education and treat minor illnesses. An outside service provides on-site lab work. Since the clinic opened a year ago, more than 550 children have had check-ups at the school.

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WHO BENEFITS FROM THE CLINIC OUTREACH?

“My children are the children of the working poor. Many have no health care. They come to school with earaches, sore throats or flu. And they can’t learn when they’re ill. Since the clinic opened I don’t see children coming to school with aches and infections and flus that last two or three weeks. Now there’s so much more learning that can happen.” -- Rosa Carreon, principal of Edmundson Elementary School

“If we improve the health of the community we’re also improving the health of our members who live there. If we take care of more people, fewer diseases are passed on not only to our members but to everybody else.”-- Dr. Martin Gilbert, Chief of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente

Edmundson Elementary School Profile:

797 students

98% Latino

90% enrolled in free or reduced-fee lunch program

A Day at the Clinic

Child’s Condition Doctor’s Treatment anemia iron pills obesity nutrition education for child and parent sore throat and fever throat culture and antibiotics headaches refer for vision check-up ringworm medicate, check other family members for similar condition

Funding Kaiser provides $15,000 annually for lab work, x-rays, prescriptions and supplies. Any leftover funds underwrite the school’s science club and reading program.

TO GET INVOLVED

Call (310) 864-9501.