First School-Based Clinic in Johnson County Marks First Year with Birthday Celebration
By Catherine Rice, Vice President of Marketing and Outreach for Health Partnership Clinic
Health Partnership Clinic and Shawnee Mission School District Partner for Student Health
Health Partnership Clinic and Shawnee Mission School District are celebrating a year of providing health services to students through a school-based clinic at Merriam Park Elementary School in Merriam, Kan. To celebrate, the partners have planned a variety of birthday-related activities to bring awareness about Johnson County’s’ first school-based clinic and to thank all those involved.
A birthday party will be hosted at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3rd at Merriam Park Elementary, 6100 Mastin St., Merriam, complete with songs, games and tours of the clinic. KC Wolf and school mascots will make an appearance and Superintendent Dr. Mike Fulton and Chief Health Officer Wael Mourad, MD, among others, will be playing Pin the Heart, Brain, and Teeth to a five foot “Operation” stand-up patient.
The community is invited to attend. To learn more, call 913-730-3661.
Other activities include distribution of healthy tips, a Health Dress Up Day at Merriam Park, and more.
Health Partnership CEO Amy Falk says, “To date, more than 250 students have received medical, behavioral health and/or dental services thanks to the many referrals from school district nurses, social workers and other staff. When we embarked on this journey, our main goal was to serve as a medical home for children and offer an additional access point to primary care. A year later we’ve accomplished that and more. We now offer dental services.”
Walk-In Clinic Hours
The walk-in clinic is open on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and is available to all Shawnee Mission School District students and their siblings. Clinic services include sick visits, well-child, school and sports physicals, immunizations, strep/flu testing, lab/blood work, asthma care, behavioral health care, dental cleanings and checkups as well as nutritional guidance. On Wednesday mornings by appointment, a medical professional provides medical management for behavior health. This service is provided to established patients only and must be referred by a Health Partnership Behavioral Health provider.
Dr. Mourad adds, “The school district and Health Partnership share a common goal of keeping children healthy. Together our team of psychologists, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, school nurses, social workers and many other dedicated staff members work together to determine the best approach to help students and their families. Our clinic is a viable option for those who are uninsured, under-insured or like the convenience of easy accessibility to quality and affordable health care.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate the first year of offering the school-based clinic to Shawnee Mission School District students,” Superintendent Mike Fulton says. “One of our most important jobs is preparing students for success in their futures. Helping students to be healthy so that they can learn is an essential part of accomplishing that mission. The clinic serves an important role in our work to ensure that we are serving the needs of all students in the Shawnee Mission School District. We thank the Health Partnership Clinic, Merriam Park, staff, students, and everyone who made the clinic so successful in its first year of operation.”
Shelby Rebeck, director of health services in the Shawnee Mission School District says, “This clinic is a powerful tool for achieving health equity among children by placing needed services right at Merriam Park Elementary School. No matter the zip code, we are able to offer access to quality, affordable health care to all Shawnee Mission School District students.”
The Merriam Park Elementary School community looks forward to joining in the celebration, Rachel Fessenden, Merriam Park social worker says. “At Merriam Park, we want to be a school that serves the community and we take great pride in knowing that Merriam Park, the Shawnee Mission School District, and Health Partnership Clinic are able to provide this resource to families who otherwise may not have access to much-needed services,” Fessenden adds. “The clinic has been a welcome addition to our school. Happy Birthday to the School-Based Clinic at Merriam Park!”
Keep Healthy Tip Sheets
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Behavioral Health – Deep Breathing
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