Hometown Health Centers, Schenectady School District Partner to Open County's First School-Based Health Centers
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (Nov. 30, 2016) — Hometown Health Centers (HHC) is now offering thousands of Schenectady middle and high school students a convenient healthcare option. The county’s only not-for-profit, federally qualified health center, has partnered with the Schenectady City School District to open the county’s first school-based health centers (SBHC).
“This is a truly meaningful day in Schenectady, said Hometown Health Centers CEO Joe Gambino. “We’ve just eliminated the access issue for children by offering convenient, comprehensive healthcare to students during the school day. This will ensure that children receive the primary and preventative services they need and deserve.”
The school-based health centers, which are located at Mont Pleasant Middle School and Schenectady High School, will be staffed by family nurse practitioners who will work under the supervision of a HHC employed physician. Each site will provide medical care and treatment for acute and chronic illness and disease, routine physicals for school or sports, required immunizations, administration of medication, screenings for vision, hearing, asthma, obesity, and other clinical conditions.
Additional services provided at the SBHC’s include, reproductive healthcare, counseling, contraception, STD screening and ongoing education for high-risk activities such as smoking and substance abuse. Behavioral health screenings and referrals for evaluations to specialists are also available through each center. Hamilton Elementary students will also be seen at Mont Pleasant during regular school hours with round-trip transportation provided by the school.
“We are extremely pleased and excited that the school-based Hometown Health Centers are open in Mont Pleasant and Schenectady High School and are serving our students,” said Larry Spring, superintendent, Schenectady School District. “The on-campus, full-service health centers will help ensure that more students receive the medical care they need. This access will reduce the number of student absences that occur as a result of leaving school for medical appointments and give students an increased chance of being academically successful. These centers will be an integral part of these schools and serve a very important need. We are proud to welcome Hometown Health and are grateful for this important community collaboration.”
Added Schenectady City School Board President Cathy Lewis, who has long supported the SBHC program, “We want to give our children every advantage, and this partnership with Hometown now elevates the offerings we provide. Simply speaking, healthy kids learn better.”
At present, nearly 200 students are enrolled in the school-based program. HHC’s enrollment target is 500 students before the close of the 2016-2017 academic year.
The New York State Department of Health requires that a student must be enrolled in the program with proper parent/guardian consent to take advantage of the services offered. For more information or to receive a consent and enrollment form, please contact Hometown Health Centers at (518) 370-1441 or visit http://www.hometownhealthcenters.org/school-based-health-center-forms-and-faqs
There is no copay for a child to be seen in the school-based health care program and HHC will bill all insurances.
For more information, call HHC at (518) 370-1441 or visit www.HometownHealthCenters.org.