Health Update: Venice Family Clinic and School District Expand Partnership with New Health and Wellness Center – What Experts Say

The HSD Health and Wellness Center, located at Zela Davis School, will serve approximately 6,900 students as well as their families and school staff.

Venice Family Clinic and the Hawthorne School District have expanded their partnership with the opening of a new health and wellness center at Zela Davis School, aimed at increasing access to medical and mental health services for students, families and the broader community.

The HSD Health and Wellness Center, located at Zela Davis School, will serve approximately 6,900 students as well as their families, school staff and Hawthorne residents. Clinic staff will be on site two afternoons a week providing services that include vaccinations, school physicals, general medical care and mental health support for children, teens and adults.

A grand opening celebration is scheduled for March 25 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the campus. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the facility, children’s activities, music and refreshments. Representatives from the clinic will also be available to provide information about health insurance enrollment, early childhood programs and behavioral health services.

Officials said the new center builds on an existing collaboration between the two organizations. In 2024, they opened the Maxine Waters Health and Dignity Center, the first school-based clinic in the district. Venice Family Clinic also provides care at several other schools across the region.

The expansion is supported in part by a $14.25 million grant awarded to the district through the California Community Schools Partnership Program, which funds initiatives focused on student well-being, family engagement and academic support.

In a statement, Venice Family Clinic CEO Dr. Mitesh Popat said bringing care directly to school campuses helps remove barriers that can prevent students and families from accessing essential services.