Recent state grant awards supporting partnerships between Adena Health and several area school districts to create school-based health centers will produce significant benefits for students and community members – both now and into the future.
The grant awards from the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative announced recently by Gov. Mike DeWine are earmarked for projects expanding school- and community-based health services. The grant proposal was prepared by Nationwide Children’s Hospital on behalf of the Appalachian Children Coalition, working with school districts and health systems in communities across Appalachian Ohio to meet community needs.
Locally, Adena’s involvement in school-based health began more than 20 years ago with partnerships to provide athletic training services to student athletes. It later expanded through Adena’s involvement in community health needs assessments conducted every three years in Fayette, Highland, Pike and Ross counties that identified children’s safety and lifelong wellness as priority issues. Those conclusions recently resulted in more targeted school district health and wellness assessments revealing that primary care, mental health, dental and nutrition services are priorities needing addressed.
In late 2021, the health system formed a number of partnerships to meet school-based needs for health care programs and services, resulting in the launch of a school-based mobile clinic in the fall of 2023. It also partnered with the schools and Nationwide Children’s Hospital beginning in late spring of 2023 as areas were being identified for expanded or permanent services and locations to include in the grant proposal.
The result is the next step forward in expanding school-based care across the region.
“With these resources, we have the chance to change young people’s lives in elementary through high school and beyond,” said John Gabis, MD, Adena medical director of community partnerships. “This is our chance to impact multiple generations and help them be healthy and vibrant, improving their lives and the lives after them. This is a monumental step to make a difference early in life that can bear great benefits.”
The school districts will receive the grant funding for the projects. Those locally selected for funding include:
· Greenfield, Southeastern, Waverly, Wellston and Zane Trace schools ($232,965 grant): Through partnerships with these school districts, Adena will expand the scope of services its mobile health program delivers to families across the multi-county service region. The mobile unit is equipped to provide primary care and dental services on-site, removing barriers to care and providing the ability to connect patients who have care needs beyond what the unit can offer with a provider who can meet those needs.
Among other benefits, the projects will help eliminate transportation barriers to care, provide more convenient access to care, ensure services are readily available in those identified priority areas, and help connect students and members of the community to more specialized care when the need arises.
All told, the grants represent a $64 million investment in 36 communities across 20 Appalachian Ohio counties that is expected to impact nearly 375,000 youth, families and community members.
Submitted by Jason Gilham, director, integrated communications, Adena Health.
