Wellness Village 92701 is located in the City of Santa Ana, in Orange County, CA. Orange County is a county of contradictions. One of the wealthiest in the nation, it is composed of a large Latino population, 76 percent in Santa Ana according to the 1990 census. Ironically, it is also home to a large portion of the county's labor and service workers.

Wellness Village 92701 reaches out to over 65,000 people, more than half of whom live below the federal poverty line according to the 1990 Census. The serious health problems in this community underscore the contrast in health care between the rich and poor. A few indicators, based on data obtained from a 1996 survey (conducted by Latino Health Access and the Orange County Health Care Agency) serve to illustrate this point:

• 63 percent have no health insurance
• Less than 38 percent of children are fully immunized
• 83 percent of children do not participate in any physical activity
• 68 percent of parents report they do not participate in their children's schools
• Alcohol consumption is perceived as the worst community problem

Despite this depressing picture, the poor community of Santa Ana can boast many human assets, highlighted by a strong sense of community within neighborhoods. Local residents offer their living rooms as classroom space for health education, nutrition and fitness, CPR, home safety, and other health-related topics. Neighborhood associations believe in the voice of youth and include them in policy decisions. Talented young people have organized youth councils that create and implement neighborhood wellness agendas.

Wellness Village 92701 implements a comprehensive, holistic approach to community health by drawing on the following program components:

• The Community Health Project integrates the college resource and Padrinos components, described below, into community mobilization efforts. Organized and trained youth leaders act as catalysts to reduce alcohol access and misuse, improve home safety, promote fitness and good nutrition, ensure emotional and mental health, and expand social networks in the community.
• Youth Promotores de Salud (Community Health Workers) are at the forefront of the wellness village effort. Alongside adult Promotores these youth help their peers identify personal, family, and community needs and mobilize the assets needed to implement solutions.
• The Academic Project connects college resources and opportunities to the program and wellness village participants. For instance, medical students from the University of California, Irvine work with program staff to provide immunizations in apartment complexes; California State University, Fullerton, and Santa Ana College interns participate in and learn from community mobilization and health promotion efforts; and a University of Southern California consultant enhances program evaluation by documenting personal stories and outcomes.
• Padrinos in Education is the mentoring component of the program. Using a culturally appropriate model, mentors develop relationships with families by providing academic assistance to children, connecting parents with the school system, and offering cultural exchange activities.

For more information, please contact:
Latino Health Access
1717 N. Broadway Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92706