Acknowledgement
The HEAL Project and California Health Collaborative acknowledges the land we stand on as the ancestral tribal territory of the Wukchumni Peoples who have resided in this region since time immemorial, now known as Visalia, CA.
It is important that we state this acknowledgment through our words, but primarily through our actions as community members as well as partners with Elevate Youth California (EYC) who fund a substance use prevention program with Wukchumni Tribe.
About
"HEAL" stands for
Healing, Equity, Advocacy & Leadership
The HEAL Project aims to promote substance use prevention thRough
healthy behaviors and creating safe environments for Visalia's African American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latinx, and LGBT+ youth of color.
The HEAL Project is part of the California Health Collaborative.
History
The HEAL Project started off in early 2020, just before the shelter-in-place orders came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, HEAL has offered innovative ways to effectively engage Visalia youth including virtual and in-person events related to art, advocacy, mental health, and hosting our annual Youth Leadership Summit.
Elevate Youth California (EYC) extended HEAL’s funding to continue serving Visalia’s BIPOC & LGBT+ youth through November 2025!
Elevate
Youth California
HEAL Project is funded by Elevate Youth California (EYC) through Prop 64 which collects funds through taxes placed on cannabis items in California. These funds are used for youth substance use prevention programs like HEAL Project and several others throughout the Central Valley.
Adversity
African American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latinx, and LGBT+ youth of color in Visalia are at greater risk of experiencing negative impacts of substance use disorder.
Contributing factors include a lack of youth-oriented mental health resources, low prioritization of mental health supports in schools, low socioeconomic neighborhoods, high *ACE scores and inequities in suspension rates.
Mission
Our mission is to increase equity and reduce school suspension disparities by:
- Advocating for the development of a youth-led, cross-cultural workgroup.
- Work alongside school staff to address mental health and substance use disorder prevention.
- Establish culturally rooted supports on school campuses.
- Provides visibility of these resources and student's rights through an update to the student handbook.
Reach Out
(559) 221-6315