Advancing Harm Reduction at TVHC School‑Based Health Centers
TVHC’s Youth Health Services (YHS) program is piloting two harm reduction and prevention initiatives at our school-based health centers, reinforcing student health, safety, and wellbeing through access and prevention.
At Chabot College, TVHC has installed a Naloxone Stand Box (NSB) to ensure immediate, no-barrier access to naloxone – a life-saving medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose. Made possible through partnerships with Alameda County Health and the California Department of Health Care Services, TVHC secured both the stand box and a dedicated supply of naloxone, bringing critical harm-reduction resources directly into the community.
The box is stationed in a public location outside the Chabot Student Health Center and stocked with preloaded, needle free naloxone spray units that community members can access at any time. The NSB at Chabot is one of more than 60 deployed across Alameda County.
“Having the naloxone box has been a positive addition to the campus,” shared Estephanie Urbina, TVHC Youth Health Services Manager. “Students are utilizing the box for their needs, and it also serves as preventive care. It’s easy to just grab and go. A big shoutout to YHS Clinic Supervisor Michelle Lozano for implementing this at Chabot.”
Funded by the California School Based Health Alliance, TVHC is also piloting Healthy Futures at Tennyson High School, a tobacco and cannabis reduction program developed by Stanford University. Healthy Futures is part of a three-year randomized controlled trial measuring the effectiveness of this evidence-based curriculum.
The program offers a free alternative-to-suspension option for middle and high school students caught using or possessing e-cigarettes, tobacco, or cannabis. Using motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy, students participate through self-paced or group sessions focused on understanding health risks and supporting healthier decision making.
“For Healthy Futures, we met with the Tennyson principal and COST coordinator to introduce the program,” Estephanie shared. “Our Health Educator, Glenda Tercero, is now taking referrals to implement it. This will help students learn, understand the risks, and make better choices.”
These initiatives support TVHC’s harm reduction approach, meeting students where they are, prioritizing prevention over punishment, and expanding access to resources that increase healthier outcomes across our school communities.