Programs
Westside Family Health Center health care is focused on women, men, children, teens and families. Our five core programs are:
Community Outreach & Education
Community Outreach & Education programs include the Peer Health Educator Training (PHET), twice weekly VYBE (Visions for Youth Becoming Empowered) Clinic. bilingual educational presentations, outreach, Lunch & Learn, Man Up, chronic care management classes, childbirth preparation classes in English and in Spanish and mother-child support groups in English and in Spanish.
WFHC’s adolescent programs include PHET, educational presentations and street outreach. Our services are for teens by teens in schools, community centers and a variety of public venues to provide needed information on birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence, self-esteem, responsible decision-making, and HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness. Peer health educators assist teen clients in utilizing WFHC’s services especially through the use of the WFHC’s outreach team conducts health-related educational presentations at schools, job sites, and community organizations throughout Los Angeles. Topics include birth control, STDs, reproductive anatomy, and chronic condition management. The outreach team also provides informal presentations during street outreach intended to provide assistance to community members in accessing needed health care services.
Family Practice
Started at the request of the Los Angeles County of Department of Health Services, WFHC’s Family Practice program provides men and women with care for general medical problems not covered under our other programs.
While much of our family practice program is episodic care, the real emphasis is on our Healthy Aging program. Working with adults with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, our talented team of physicians, mid-level providers, community health workers and health educators provide comprehensive case management including healthcare, education, nutrition counseling and medication management. We empower patients to take control of their condition and their lives thereby ensuring a healthier aging process.
Family Practice sees many adults for general physicals for work or school. Cold and flu season brings in patients who also worry about bronchitis or pneumonia. Allergy symptoms bring many into the Center. The ability to walk-in and be seen is empowering and convenient to many community members.
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Prenatal
Blooming Babies, Westside Family Health Center’s often recognized prenatal program, provides expectant mothers high quality care from the very beginning of their pregnancy. In the weeks leading up to delivery, we offer childbirth preparation classes in English and in Spanish.
Psychosocial assessments help identify early issues that may arise during the pregnancy and after the birth of the child and allow early interventions that result in healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives for our parents and the child. WFHC’s collaboration with California State University, Northridge and the School of Social Work at University of Southern California allow us to provide counseling to our prenatal patients.
The majority of our patients are delivered at UCLA Medical Center in Westwood by Certified Nurse Midwives. Patients experiencing a high-risk pregnancy are handled by the UCLA School of Medicine. Patients with Medi-Cal managed care deliver at Los Angeles’ California Hospital Medical Center. Patients can also deliver at the medical facility of their choosing.
Pediatrics
Since 1993, WFHC has been offering comprehensive pediatric care for the numerous low income uninsured families on the Westside. Our young clients are seen by team members sensitive to the needs of children – community health workers, a pediatric nurse practitioner and a physician.
Well- and sick-child care, immunizations, tuberculosis testing, referrals, case management services and mother-child support groups are the mainstay of the pediatrics program. Immunizations and tuberculosis testing are also administered in the community.
Our many community partnerships and collaborations have allowed us to expand services to our young patients. Working with Saint John’s Health Center’s highly-recognized Shots for Tots & Teens program, WFHC now offers extended hours and days for busy parents to ensure their children are immunized. Our national partnership with Reach Out and Read provides books for children 0 to 5 at their well-child visit while local contributions have allowed us to extend our literacy program to all our pediatric patients up to age 10. WFHC is also proud to be part of California Immunization Registry (CAIR), California's statewide immunization registry network. This secure, web-based system is used by doctors and other health care providers to maintain the immunization information of their patients.
Reproductive Health Services
Women’s reproductive health care has long been the cornerstone of Westside Family Health Center. Our program addresses all women’s health issues including: pregnancy tests; pap smears; mammograms; colposcopy/cryosurgery; sexually transmitted disease diagnosis and treatment; one-on-one counseling; hormone replacement therapy; anonymous and confidential traditional and rapid HIV testing, counseling, and referral; annual well-women physicals; birth control; emergency contraception; basic infertility care; and premenopausal/menopausal care.
Reproductive Health Services also includes male-focused family planning and male health services that target and treat the common conditions that affect men including diagnosis and treatment for urological conditions, sexually transmitted disease and sexual dysfunction.