$4M in grants will fund addition of health centers at Tuscarawas Valley and Claymont
TUSCARAWAS County ‒ The Aultman Health Foundation is joining forces with Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools and Claymont City Schools to open new school-based health centers in Zoarville and Uhrichsville.
The two projects will be funded with grants from Gov. Mike DeWine's Appalachian Children's Health Initiative. More than $64 million in funding will be divided among 28 projects that are expected to impact 61,000 students and 375,000 residents across 20 Appalachian counties. Partners include 34 school districts, a career technical school, an educational service center, and 16 healthcare partners. Expanded services will include comprehensive primary care, dental, vision, and mental health services for children, families, and communities.
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The $2.28 million grant to Tusky Valley will be used to renovate an existing portion of the original high school (future community center) on the Zoarville campus to open a new, 2,600-square-foot school-based health center available to students, staff and community members.
What will be included
The space will include two separate reception areas (one for students, one for community members), four exam rooms, two clinical counseling offices, one lab, restroom and office space.
While telehealth services will still be available for students in district school buildings, the school-based health center allows for additional services such as when lab work is needed or general checkups. The center will offer students access to comprehensive primary care including well visits, acute and sick visits, vaccinations, and more, and services will be available to the larger community as well.
The health center will be staffed by a nurse practitioner and a medical assistant and will operate weekdays, year-round. Additionally, plans include placing two mental health providers inside the health center to establish on-site mental health services at school and integrate primary and behavioral health care.
Facility will help keep kids in school
“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to embed a school-based health center onto the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District campus,” said Superintendent Derek Varansky. “The vision has always been to utilize the space available in the original high school to provide community supports for both our students and district residents, and this funding allows us to increase health services to our area and allow our families to receive the care they need without having to travel.
"With quick access to primary care physicians, student sickness can be prevented or mediated quickly, keeping our students in school and directly impacting their academics. Our district currently only has one primary care provider in our district’s borders, so working with that office, we can enhance the number of students and residents able to be seen by a doctor. All of this will be completed with 100% transparency and no students will be seen or treated without parental consent.”
Health center at Claymont High School
Claymont was given a grant of nearly $1.9 million to construct a 2,000-square-foot school-based health center on the grounds of Claymont High School in Uhrichsville, which will allow Aultman to provide enhanced acute care and comprehensive well-care to address absenteeism among students and staff.
Primary care offerings will be comprehensive, including but not limited to well visits, acute and sick visits, vaccinations, and more. Patients can be seen for anything from routine annual care to chronic disease management for conditions such as asthma or diabetes as well as primary care mental health.
Point-of-care testing will also be available to enable immediate diagnostic testing and treatment for students, staff, and the broader community. The health center will be staffed by a nurse practitioner and a medical assistant and is planning to operate weekdays, year-round. In addition, The Village Network, a community-based mental health provider, plans to open a secondary location inside the center to provide support to students and the community.
“Claymont City School District is very excited to be a recipient of this grant. Over the past year and a half Claymont has partnered with Aultman for telehealth services for our students and staff to access, and we are appreciative once the clinic is complete, we will be able to provide expanded services to our students, staff and community,” said Superintendent Brian Rentsch.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: State grants will fund health centers at Tusky Valley and Claymont
