For children and families with limited resources and little access to healthcare, Cedars-Sinai takes healthcare directly to the neighborhoods. Rolling out its first mobile medical unit in 1994, Community Outreach Assistance for Children's Health (COACH) began delivering medical care and services by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, clinical social workers, health educators and other technicians.
With the addition of a second mobile unit in 2001, the COACH for Kids and Their Families program provides free primary care, preventive care, case management and psychosocial services to children and adolescents in the South Central, Downtown Los Angeles, Inglewood and Pico Union communities.
COACH works with more than 80 public and private community organizations. Through its network of schools, churches, community organizations and other groups, COACH and its partners provide help in job training and placement, housing, counseling and many other areas. Parenting classes are offered in English and Spanish. A number of services are designed to also monitor and improve the health status of vulnerable populations.
COACH regularly visits schools, housing developments, homeless shelters and sites that aid and protect women and children. The mobile units also visit health fairs and other events at the request of community organizations. Each year the program provides thousands of hours of clinical, case management, mental health and health education services for children and families who otherwise would have little or no medical attention.
Children receive immunizations, screenings for tuberculosis and other conditions, acute care, well-child visits, consultations and referrals. At selected sites COACH therapists offer individual, family and group mental health services.
In addition to regularly scheduled programs and visits, special events take place in collaboration with businesses and organizations in the community.
COACH has received several awards, including recognition from the Los Angeles Unified School District for its work at the Ninth Street School, which has the highest number of homeless children of any school in the county.
