“We talk a lot in medicine about ‘whole-person health.’ Roots is actually practicing it. Knowing that housing, food insecurity, violence—all of these social determinants of health—affect people, what are we doing about it? Actually doing something about it is baked directly into all the work Roots does.”
Aisha Mays, MD
Director | Adolescent and School-Based Services | Roots Community Health Center
Medical Director | Dream Youth Clinic
I’ve been working with vulnerable adolescents my entire career, mostly here in Oakland. I’ve learned so much from them.
We opened the Dream Youth Clinic in 2017 to serve the most vulnerable young people in the Bay Area. We are co-located within the DreamCatcher youth shelter, and in 2018, we opened our second site in the Covenant House youth shelter, both in downtown Oakland. We’re providing services for young people, ages 13–24, between those two sites.
We talk a lot in medicine about “whole-person health.” Roots is actually practicing it. Knowing that housing, food insecurity, violence—all of these social determinants of health—affect people, what are we doing about it? Actually doing something about it is baked directly into all the work Roots does.
Our youth centers are youth-empowered, youth-engaged, youth-led spaces. Before we start a new initiative, we ask whether this is something they’re interested in and what we’re leaving out. That’s how we get young people to partner with us and engage in their health care and be leaders. At Roots, we have young people sitting with us as peers at the table.
Young people want to see providers who look like them. Not only does that provide a level of comfort, but it also shows young people what they can do in the future. These young people right in front of us are tomorrow’s leaders and activists. They need to have the skills to step directly into leadership, not just 20 years from now, but right now.
We engage young people in ways that make them want to come here. In 2020, we created a youth community garden. It’s called the Garden of Dreams, and it’s a safe space for young people to be together and learn about community wellness, greening, and gardening. It’s been such a healing space.
Young people will engage in a space where they feel honored, where they can trust. Our young people are our best advertisement. The fact that they show up and bring their friends, that’s how we know we’re being successful.
“Young people will engage in a space where they feel honored, where they can trust. Our young people are our best advertisement. The fact that they show up and bring their friends, that’s how we know we’re being successful.”
“Young people will engage in a space where they feel honored, where they can trust. Our young people are our best advertisement. The fact that they show up and bring their friends, that’s how we know we’re being successful.”