The Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO), has been awarded $690,444 from UniHealth Foundation to establish the collaborative infrastructure necessary for the long-term provision of eye and vision care services at JWCH Institute's Center for Community Health (CCH) on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. Services provided by the College's faculty and optometric interns will include comprehensive eye health evaluations and the provision of frames and bifocal lenses.

"It's expected that at least 3,900 patients will be seen, diagnosed and treated during the three-year term of the grant; thereby, increasing the level of independence for the patients served through clearer sight and, in many cases, preventing loss of vision," said SCCO President Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., Ph.D. "CCH patients will gain a better quality of life and optometric interns from the College will gain clinical experience.

"Providing eye and vision care services to thousands of patients through JWCH Institute's Center for Community Health is an incredible opportunity for our students and faculty," noted Dr. Alexander. "We are proud to partner with UniHealth Foundation that, like SCCO, has a strong tradition of providing care to the underserved. Since our founding in 1904, the College has continuously provided eye and vision care to the community of south-central Los Angeles. This three-year grant will establish a powerful partnership between the Center for Community Health and the Southern California College of Optometry."

SCCO's program for Eye and Vision Care for the Underserved is supported by a grant from UniHealth Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization whose mission is to support and facilitate activities that significantly improve the health and well being of individuals and communities within its service area.

Established in 1904, SCCO is a private, non-profit, educational institution dedicated to educating today's minds to provide tomorrow's eye, vision and health care. SCCO grants a four-year, professional degree, Doctor of Optometry (OD) and a Master of Science in Vision Science (MS). The College's superior clinical education program provides patient care experiences in community optometric clinics; exposure to the delivery of optometric care in multi-disciplinary settings; and experiences in practices serving a wide variety of ethnic and socio-economic patient groups. SCCO owns and operates two premier eye and vision care centers­ – the Eye Care Center located on its campus in Fullerton, CA, and the Optometric Center of Los Angeles located in south-central LA.