A grand opening was held at Charlotte High Thursday morning for a school-based health clinic.
It's the ninth clinic of its kind at a Rochester school. Any student attending Charlotte High School can register to receive services at the health center.
The Charlotte High clinic will be operated and staffed by Rochester Regional Health System. Dr. LeKeyah Wilson is medical director of the school-based health centers.
She says the value for students is evident both medically and academically.
"They miss (fewer) days of school. They are able to follow up on asthma visits, which they miss school for. If they have injuries, we can treat them for that. We collaborate with teachers as well as administrators and other school officials to keep them in school."
The school health care centers also provide mental health counseling, a service that Dr. Wilson says students would not be able to access at a traditional primary care office.
Rochester school superintendent Bolgen Vargas said this kind of service is necessary for many students and their families.
"Our school district is serving the most vulnerable student population in the county. Therefore, sometimes you have a situation where families have trouble getting to the hospital or a community-based health clinic."
Other health clinics for students at Rochester schools are run by the Strong School of Nursing and the Anthony Jordan Center. Rochester Regional Health System operates a clinic at School # 17 that serves both students and community members.
