Shelby schools to get Adolescent Health Center

SHELBY — District Health Department #10 and Shelby Public Schools have received grant funding from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Michigan Department Community Health (MDCH) to establish a school-based health center inside Shelby Middle School through the Michigan Child and Adolescent Health Center (CAHC) Program.

The Adolescent Health Center inside Shelby Middle School joins the 100 state-funded school-based and school-linked health centers in Michigan.

The school-based health center will provide on-site primary health care, behavioral health services, health promotion/disease prevention education, and referral services. By offering comprehensive primary and preventive care where kids are at school, school-based health centers increase access to care for children and adolescents. Their services focus on prevention and the early identification and treatment of medical and behavioral concerns.  Research has demonstrated that school-based health centers help keep kids healthy and ready to learn; reduce school absenteeism; decrease reliance on emergency room for care; and allow parents to stay at work while ensuring their child’s health care needs are being met.

The Adolescent Health Center will open its doors  in April and will be open five days per week.

The target population for the health center is Shelby middle school and high school students, including those who are uninsured, under-insured, as well as those with public or private insurance coverage. The clinic staff will help families who have no health insurance enroll in Medicaid.

The health center is in need of donations in the areas of medical equipment, medical supplies, office equipment/supplies, furnishings, as well as financial donations to purchase needed items that are not donated. If you are able to make a donation of any sort, call Katie Jourdan at 231-902-8528.