XENIA — Representatives from Warner Middle School’s school-based health clinic made a presentation to the Board of Education during its monthly meeting.
Darla Gray, school nurse; Dina Thurman, nurse practitioner from Dayton Children’s; and Erin O’Brien, Cox Elementary counselor, shared updates about the clinic and their Student Wellness and Success Initiative.
Under the physical and behavioral school-based health services offered — one nurse practitioner and one wellness coordinator, along with the support of XCS Health Services — the health center at Warner Middle School continues to remove barriers to health services for students, offering treatment for acute care and helping students and families manage chronic conditions that often keep students out of class.
The presentation noted some barriers to student wellness and success including chronic and acute illness; family situations and/or home situations; trauma; poor transportation; housing and food insecurity; inequitable access to services; and lack of predictable schedules, access to technology, and encouragement to attend school.
To date, the health center has logged more than 1,200 patient visits, completed 230 comprehensive well child checks, and at least 80 students have received required immunizations. In addition, nearly 200 referrals have been made for additional medical services.
Help offered with chronic medical conditions include genetic condition management, diabetic management, and asthmatic care. Acute care includes earaches and prevention of ER visits. Mental health care includes helping treat anxiety and eating disorders.
“We are incredibly proud of the groundbreaking work taking place in our own health center, in partnership with Dayton Children’s, and I know that this team is making a real difference for our students every day, said Superintendent Dr. Gabe Lofton.
To date 151 students are receiving school-based behavioral health services across the district through the school’s Shared Space Agreement. All K-12 buildings have at least one school-based therapist. Currently five agencies provide school-based therapy, and 10 school-based therapists are providing services to students across the district at no cost to the district.
improvements discussed included grant funded transportation (new); immunizations (new); acute care including lab testing; chronic care both independently and in co-management with the patients’ primary care provider or specialists; screening initial treatment and ongoing monitoring of behavioral and mental health needs; and preventive services including physicals, screenings, health surveillance, and family engagement.
According to school officials, the health center is meeting its goal of keeping kids learning, as 55 percent of students receiving services in the SBHC were able to return directly to class instead of having to leave school to receive treatment at an urgent care or other medical provider.
The nurse practitioner is now available to support students from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Reach Karen Rase at 937-502-4534.
