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Kaiser Grant Expands PUSD Health Services

A $5 million Kaiser Permanente grant funds expanded school-based health and trauma-responsive support in Pasadena Unified School District.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Administration

Wide view of a pale stucco school building with a red-tile roof and covered walkway beneath tall palms on an empty Pasadena campus lawn.
Kaiser Permanente has granted $5 million to Pasadena Unified School District to expand school-based health and trauma-responsive support following the Eaton Fire, running through October 31, 2028. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Pasadena Educational Foundation highlighted an ongoing $5 million Kaiser Permanente grant supporting health services in Pasadena Unified School District. The grant follows the Eaton Fire and is intended to expand school-based health and trauma-responsive support.

Why it matters

The grant addresses health and emotional support needs for students and staff in Pasadena schools following the Eaton Fire. Its funding is scheduled in installments through 2028, shaping how the district staffs and expands services over time.

The grant totals $5 million, with an initial $1.66 million payment on execution and a second $1.66 million payment scheduled for November 2026. Ten clinical health professionals are among the 13 full-time positions the district's November 2025 board report said the grant would fund.

The players

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is a large integrated healthcare consortium that awarded the grant funding school health services in Pasadena.

Pasadena Unified School District

Pasadena Unified School District is the local public school district serving Pasadena and the recipient of the health services funded by the grant.

Pasadena Educational Foundation

The Pasadena Educational Foundation is a nonprofit that administers the grant funding in coordination with the district.

The details

The grant runs through October 31, 2028, and is administered through the Pasadena Educational Foundation in coordination with the district. It supports expanded hours at the PUSD Health Clinic and trauma-informed professional development for employees.

Timeline

  1. May 2026: PUSD announced it had hired two clinical social workers and a restorative practices liaison.

  2. October 9, 2026: PUSD posted two grant-funded clinical social worker openings.

  3. November 2026: A second $1.66 million grant payment is scheduled.

  4. November 2027: A final grant payment is scheduled.

  5. October 31, 2028: The grant period ends.

Season Trajectory

The grant extends the post-Eaton Fire response in Pasadena schools from immediate recovery into multi-year staffing and clinic expansion. Its installment schedule through October 2028 means the district's health capacity will be built gradually rather than all at once.

Families in Pasadena Unified can expect expanded clinic hours and more clinical staff on campuses as the grant-funded positions are filled. Parents seeking school-based mental health or trauma support should watch for openings and services announced through the district.

The takeaway

School health support funded by multi-year grants depends on steady hiring and reporting, so watching the district's staffing announcements shows whether promised services are delivered. The installment schedule gives a clear checkpoint each November through 2027.

What happens next

A second $1.66 million grant payment is scheduled for November 2026, and a final payment for November 2027.

Further reading

Explore more on Administration in Pasadena to see how school districts manage funding and staffing.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Pasadena Now.

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