Assistant
principal Tom Hager talks with Shanice Brooks and Laura Walker, community health
care workers hired by Third Street Family Health Services to work with Malabar
Intermediate School’s developing school-based health care clinic. Malabar
Intermediate School is taking an aggressive approach to helping at-risk
students – both in school and at home – through creation of a school-based
health care clinic.
Funded by a
four-year state School Quality Improvement Grant, medical care at the clinic
and home visits by two community health care workers will be provided by the
Third Street Family Health Services in Mansfield.
“This is a
holistic approach to meeting the needs of students who struggle with academics
or behavior issues linked to home situations that may include a lack of adequate
housing, food, medical care or other factors,” said assistant principal Tom
Hager.
“A student
cannot come to school ready to learn if they are experiencing negative
conditions at home.”
The clinic
is located down the hall from Malabar’s administrative offices. It includes a
reception area and two private exam rooms. Visitors to the clinic will enter
through the doors to the right of the school’s digital message sign.
“Initially,
a nurse practitioner from Third Street Family Health Services will be here at
Malabar on Mondays and Thursdays,” Hager said.
A core team
at Malabar will identify at-risk students who would benefit from clinic care as
well as home visits by community health care workers Shanice Brooks and Laura
Walker. The mission of Brooks and Walker is to conduct needs assessments and
help to direct families to available assistance.
Parental
consent will be required for both clinic and home visits.
“The
partnership we are trying to create is among the students, their families and
the school,” said Dr. Holly Christie, director of student support programs.
There is no
charge for the work of the community health care workers. Fees for clinic
services will be on a sliding scale based on family income and can be billed to
insurance or Medicaid. Where needed, Third Street Family Health Services will
assist in Medicaid enrollment.
The nurse
practitioner and community health care workers will be at Malabar’s fifth- and
sixth-grades open house at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 20. For more information about the
clinic and home visits contact Stacey Nolan at Third Street Family Health
Services at 419-525-2555.
Mark
Redding, M.D., a pediatrician affiliated with Akron Children’s Hospital, has
been involved in planning the school-based health clinic and home visits.
“The
expectation of good school work is not indicated if a student does not have
enough to eat, a secure place to live or other problems within the family,” Dr.
Redding said. “This is a whole-family approach to helping the student.”
Hager and
Dr. Redding lauded the support of state Rep. Mark Romanchuk, who recommended
grant funding for the clinic in a letter to the Ohio Department of Education
(ODE).
Hager also
said the clinic project is in line with Superintendent-elect Stan Jefferson’s
priority of emphasizing family engagement.
Jefferson
said Tuesday the efforts of Malabar and the Third Street Family Health Services
embodies the proverb that it takes a village to raise a child.
“I applaud
the hard work of Malabar principal Andrea Moyer, assistant principal Tom Hager,
Third Street Family Health Services and others involved in making this
wonderful opportunity available to our students and families,” Jefferson said.
Hager said
the School Quality Improvement Grant provides $600,000 over four years.