By Deirdre Kleske, Healthy Works Program Specialist, County of San Diego

On December 7, 2022, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) co-hosted the annual Live Well Advance Conference and School Summit . This annual conference brings together several thousand Live Well San Diego partners and others to learn together and collaborate on common efforts. Having the Summit embedded in the Live Well Advance ensures that all sectors of our community have an opportunity to network and partner with schools to improve student health and well-being.  

The Summit began with a Superintendents’ Breakfast attended by 65 people in leadership from HHSA and school districts representing all regions of San Diego County. 

At the breakfast, Nick Macchione, Agency Director, County of San Diego Health and Human Services and Paul Gothold, San Diego County Superintendent of Schools described the strong and growing partnership between the two agencies to meet the increased needs of students, school staff, and families.

District Attorney Summer Stephan shared sobering facts about the growing fentanyl crisis and SDCOE staff provided an overview of plans to support districts to implement fentanyl prevention curriculum and intervention programs and provide students with treatment resources.

Kim Giardina, Director of Child Welfare Services shared a planned expansion of the FASE (Fostering Academic Success in Education) program to elevate educational outcomes of students living in foster care through collaboration and better coordination between the County of San Diego and school districts.

Heather Conrad, MD, Medical Consultant, and John Malone, MD, HHSA, detailed the importance of improving ventilation and air quality in school buildings. Prioritizing ventilation in schools is crucial to stop the spread of COVID-19 and other air borne illnesses, and can have a positive impact on student health, academic performance, and attendance.

Throughout the day, more than 500 attendees of the Live Well Advance participated in ten dynamic school-focused breakout sessions. Many sessions were standing-room-only, with topics including restorative practices in schools, community partnerships, positive youth development programs, tobacco use prevention, and on-campus supports for staff and student physical, mental, and social wellness.

Presenters included a school superintendent, leaders from Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and Neighborhood Healthcare, an author and high-school principal, staff from schools and districts, community-based organizations, and HHSA programs.

As COVID-19 pandemic recovery continues, strong collaborative efforts like these are vital to ensure that schools are a healthy and safe place for students. Through the collective efforts of the Summit Planning team of SDCOE and HHSA, including Live Well Schools, the Live Well San Diego Education Sector, Behavioral Health Services, Public Health Services, and the Office of Equitable Communities key stakeholders benefitted from this valuable opportunity to learn about strategies to help students, staff, and families thrive.