“Health care at school keeps kids in school.” That is the idea behind the School-Based Health Center, a health service provided to students of all ages throughout the Canby School District. The School-Based Health Center started in April of 2009, and is designed to minimize the amount of time students need to take off from school to go to the doctor. It also saves time off work for the parents, says Lockwood, because the medical care is provided at the school. “It’s about keeping kids healthy,” says Trevor Lockwood LCSW, director of operations for the clinic, “Healthy kids learn better.”
The center provides a health clinic for students of all ages. They accept insurance and donations, but don’t turn away students if they are unable to pay, and assist uninsured students in the process of becoming insured. The health center provides all the services of a regular doctor’s office.
The center provides a variety of services, including, but not limited to, assistance in the management of chronic illness such as asthma or diabetes, communicable disease control and prevention, diagnosis and treatment of minor illness, infection, and injury, health screening and referral, immunization, lab tests to monitor health conditions, physical examinations and sports physicals. The clinic does not provide birth control or contraceptives, nor does it dispense contraceptives of any kind.
Julie Passon FNP, CNM, a licensed nurse practitioner, employed by Clackamas County Community Health Division, provides medical services at the center, and Lockwood provides brief counseling for anxiety and depression, tobacco and other substance cessation, academic and family concerns, coping skills, and referral to specialty Mental Health Services when needed.
“It’s like having a doctor’s office in your school,” Lockwood said.
The center has extended its hours this year, from two to five days a week. The center was booked when it was only open two days a week, Lockwood said, there was a need to extend the hours in order to provide care for all the students.
The services are not recorded on students’ school record, and are private and confidential for students fifteen years old and above. Students under fifteen must have parental consent.
No school district funds are used to support the clinic, which is paid for by the county.
“The school donates my time to be director of clinics and medical services, it donates Lori Wujek’s time to be office coordinator, and it donates space and custodian services,” Lockwood explained.
There is also a youth advisory board, to assist the clinic in meeting the needs of the students and raise awareness. “It’s a teen health clinic,” he said, “Teens need to be involved.”
In order to help the teens, they had to know what their issues are, Lockwood said, and that’s why they started the youth advisory board. The board, consisting of high school students, is in charge of marketing, student involvement, and advice to the market about what teen issues are and what the students need.
Lockwood said the most important part of this service is awareness. “If the students don’t know about it, they won’t use it,” he said.