9 local projects to get funding through Appalachian Children's Health Initiative

COLUMBUS — Several local school districts will benefit from funding coming the the state that is meant to improve access to healthcare across many of Ohio's Appalachian communities.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the projects recently.

As part of the new Appalachian Children's Health Initiative, more than $64 million in funding will be awarded to the Appalachian Children Coalition to support the creation or expansion of community- and school-based health clinics, the launch of healthcare-focused workforce development programs, and more.

"Our vision for Ohio’s future is one where all Ohioans, no matter where they are from, have the opportunity to live up to their full potential," said Governor DeWine in a news release. "These projects will uplift and empower the people of Ohio’s Appalachian region for generations to come."

The 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.

The project will also establish workforce training partnerships between schools and their associated health clinics to prepare the next generation of Appalachian healthcare professionals.

Here are the local projects:

Mobile School-Based Eye Care Program

Athens City Schools, Warren Local Schools, Wellston City Schools, Chillicothe City Schools, Union Scioto Local, Adena Local (Athens, Jackson, Washington, Ross)

Mobile Vision Program-Athens award amount: $334,300

Mobile Vision Program-Ross award amount: $240,700

In partnership with Athens Eye Care, LLC/Hocking Hills Eye Care and Dr. Patricia A. Haller, Athens City, Warren Local, Wellston City, Chillicothe City, Union Scioto Local, Adena Local school districts will establish a mobile school-based eye care program to provide school-based vision care to at-risk students. Providers will travel to school districts and deliver school-based care during the academic year, which will result in over 2,300 eye exams across six school districts. Providers will utilize mobile eye exam equipment to provide comprehensive eye exams and diagnose any vision or ocular health issues. This program will eliminate the barrier of transportation to a local eye care provider and the general lack of eye care providers in the regions being served. There are also plans of recruitment of new providers to the area to create a more robust eye care provider network, expanding access to care for the surrounding community.

Multi-use Facility with Housing, Training, and Wraparound Services

FsterHub (Hocking, Ross, and Vinton)

Award amount $7,322,363

In partnership with the Hocking Valley Community Hospital, South Central Ohio Job & Family Services, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and CK Construction Group, FosterHub will purchase and renovate a commercial property in the heart of historic downtown Logan that will house all operations and offer services, including transitional housing for adolescents transitioning from foster care. The space will also provide job training, life skills training, group therapy, and behavioral health activities. The newly renovated downtown location will be home to a teaching kitchen, laundry services, computer training center, gathering space for behavioral health support services, and more to allow for a holistic approach to ensure youth have the necessary support in place to reach their full potential.

Scioto Valley School-Based Health Center

Scioto Valley Local School District (Pike, Scioto, Jackson, Adams, and Ross)

Award amount $1,695,701

In partnership with the Valley View Health Centers (VVHC) and the Community Action Committee of Pike County, Scioto Valley Local School District (SVLSD) will operate a school-based health clinic in an existing 5,500-square-foot stand-alone facility on the SVLSD campus in Piketon. The center will offer a continuum of care for the whole person. Health and wellness services and social services programming will be available to students as well as staff, family members, and caregivers. The staffing for the center will include licensed medical, social services, and community health staff from VVHC.

Warrior Wellness Center

Adena Local School District (Ross)Awards amount $5,754,118

In partnership with Adena Health System, Adena Local School District will establish the Warrior Wellness Center located on the school district’s new athletic field complex. The facility will be inclusive of a variety of health, wellness, and social services and will not only benefit the students of Adena Local but will also serve school staff and the entire community. The wellness center will include a newly constructed primary health clinic in addition to a pharmacy, a community wellness and activity center, and offices for behavioral health and other community-serving organizations. A walking track in the facility will provide year-round exercise opportunities for community members. On-site primary care clinical services will be supported five days per week through Adena Health and staffed with a primary care provider and support staff.

School-Based Health Center

Chillicothe City School District (Ross)Award amount $662,130

In partnership, Adena Health and Chillicothe City Schools have identified a 1,300-square-foot space within the district enrollment center on the High School-Middle School campus to serve as a school-based health center. The new clinic will be adjacent to the high school gymnasium and will create easy access for students, staff, and community members. The Chillicothe Wellness team is prioritizing primary care as one of their top needs for students, along with mental health, dental, and nutrition services. Patients can be connected to a broad network of care and be referred to other specialty care providers as needed. On-site clinical services will be supported through Adena Health and staffed by a two-person medical care team that will rotate between the on-site clinics in Ross County to ensure adequate coverage for all partner school districts based on need.

School-Based Health Center

Huntington Local School District (Ross)

Award amount: $556,290

In partnership with Adena Health System, Huntington Local School District will establish a Huntington school-based health center within their unified campus complex. The clinic will be located within the high school section of the building and staffed by a two-person medical care team that will rotate between the on-site clinics in Ross County to ensure adequate coverage for all partner school districts based on need. Based on a 2022 school district health and wellness assessment, primary care for students is a priority, along with mental health, dental, and nutrition services. Adena will work to ensure effective delivery of the coordinated services, including prevention care and services for patients, health and social-related professional development services for staff, ongoing assessment of school needs with staff, administration, and school nurses, athletic training and support services, and primary care services.

School-Based Health Center

Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center (Ross, Pickaway)

Award amount $524,250

In partnership with Adena Health System, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center will establish a school-based health clinic. The clinic will provide convenient access to healthcare services, addressing immediate health needs and fostering a proactive approach to students' physical and mental well-being. On-site medical care, vaccinations, and health education programs will enhance students' academic success by reducing absenteeism due to healthissues. Access to additional services, such as primary care mental health, will help improve mental health issues. The center will also serve as a valuable resource for families and the community, providing a centralized location for accessible and affordable healthcare, ultimately promoting a healthier and more engaged student body and community as a whole.

School-Based Health Center

Union-Scioto Local School District (Ross)

Award amount $605,610

In partnership with Adena Health System, Union-Scioto Local School District will establish a school-based health center, eliminating transportation barriers for families and providing access to care for both routine and unexpected medical needs. Prioritized primary care is the top focus for students, along with mental health, dental, and nutrition services. Internal and external Adena partners will ensure effective delivery of the coordinated services, including prevention care and services for patients, health and social-related professional development services for staff, ongoing assessment of school needs with staff, administration and school nurses, athletic training and support services, and primary care services. On-site clinical services will be supported through Adena Health and staffed by a two-person medical care team that will rotate between the on-site clinics in Ross County to ensure adequate coverage for all partner school districts based on need.

Mobile Health Program

Greenfield Exempted Village, Southeastern Local School District, Waverly City Schools, Wellston City Schools, Zane Trace Local Schools (Ross, Highland, Pike, Jackson)Award amount $232,965

Adena Health System will expand the scope of services its mobile health program delivers to Greenfield Exempted Village, Southeastern Local School District, Waverly City Schools, Wellston City Schools, and Zane Trace Local Schools to deliver critically needed services to families throughout the multi-county service region. The Adena mobile unit is equipped with the necessary equipment for both primary care and dental services, removing barriers to care and fostering a proactive approach to healthcare. A full-time nurse practitioner, one driver/registrar combined role, and one full-time community health worker will be added to the mobile program. Additionally, shore plugs will be installed at each district partner, including existing mobile health district partners, to extend the life of the mobile health unit to ensure sustainable operations well into the future. Linkages of care will be intentionally conducted for patients with needs beyond the initial mobile unit appointment

Funding for the Appalachian Children's Health Initiative is being awarded through the larger Appalachian Community Grant Program, which is investing $500 million into Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: 9 local projects to get state funding to improve healthcare access