Make a Vital Link to Improve Healthfor Families and Children

Despite Santa Barbara’s seemingly vibrant, prosperous community, some of its youngest residents face invisible barriers to health and wellness that can limit their entire futures. Health Linkages, also known as Children and Family Resource Services, stands as a beacon of hope and vitality, providing wraparound services that address the complex web of challenges facing local underserved families.

Health Linkages, under the leadership of Executive Director MaryEllen Rehse, a social worker with decades of public health expertise, operates on a simple yet powerful principle: good health extends far beyond traditional medical treatment. It encompasses access to comprehensive care, education, and community connection.

The Hernandez family’s journey demonstrates the organization’s holistic and attentive approach to community health. While facing homelessness, sisters Maria and Katrina, 15 and 16, were referred to Health Linkages for mental health concerns by their school. Mother of four, Claudia, was wary of the stigma of getting mental health assistance, but went along reluctantly. Health Linkages found a culturally appropriate therapist, and the union was so successful that Claudia eventually requested health services for every other child in the family. Their navigators assisted Claudia in finding a job and helped the family secure their own home through
public housing.

Similarly, their impact can be found through stories like that of four-year-old Mario. During a Health Linkages visit, Rehse observed Mario licking the cream cheese off a bagel, never taking a single bite. It turned out that Mario’s teeth were so painful that licking was his only option. Through Health Linkages’ comprehensive approach, Mario received not just dental care, but his family gained access to resources that addressed all of the family’s broader health needs.

The organization’s early childhood focus proves particularly vital in Santa Barbara and Lompoc, where Health Linkages identifies and addresses vision, dental, and hearing needs in preschool children. Through partnerships with state preschool programs, they catch problems early, when intervention can be most effective. They also provide oral health services, including fluoride varnish applications and dental screenings, crucial in communities without fluoridated water.

At the heart of Health Linkages’ success are its four core programs: 

Future Smiles leads a county-wide children’s oral health collaborative and provides necessary preventative services and education.  

Mental Wellness Education and Linkages (MWEL) places trained health navigators in schools, ensuring immediate support and connections when student challenges arise. 

Connecting to Coverage helps families navigate the complex world of health insurance, particularly Medi-Cal, removing financial barriers to crucial care.

Promotores Program partners with a diverse network of community health workers who serve as trusted messengers within the Latino community. These health promoters, many of whom are first-generation immigrants themselves, break down cultural and linguistic barriers their neighbors face. 

Health Linkages’ name says it all – their goal is to strengthen the vital “linkages” between comprehensive health and social services, and children, families, and communities in need.