Michigan students get access to healthcare centers inside their schools

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Students in 26 schools across Michigan will now have access to health services right in their school building.

School-based health services have been offered in Michigan since the 1980′s. Right now, there are about 200 schools in Michigan that already have these services inside of their building – Grand Ledge High School is one of the new schools added to that list.

Background: MDHHS to provide $2.4M in planning grants to 26 Michigan schools

Superintendent of Grand Ledge Public Schools Bill Barnes said this is a chance for the school to further their support of students and their parents.

“The idea is to create a space for students to get some of their health care needs met within the school that they may not be able to get met out in the community,” said Barnes.

Spanning 21 counties in Michigan, $2.4 million will be used to expand youth health centers placing health services right inside of school buildings. Still, in the planning stages, Barnes said they’re figuring out what a health center will look like on their campus. He said,

“We know that a variety of health care services are needed for our students to be successful - Mental health supports, disease prevention, behavioral health supports, and all those are a part of the grant,” Barnes said.

Over the next month, Barnes said that they will be making sure they are including the services that will have the most impact on students and their families.

“Students that feel good and have their needs met are better able to learn,” Barnes said. “And so we’re hoping that this provides a service for our students and our families that they can’t otherwise get.”

Taggert Doll manages the Child and Adolescent Health Center program at Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services. According to Doll, a nurse practitioner or physician paired with a mental health specialist will staff the center. By next year, Doll said schools - including Grand Ledge - could start to see health services onsite.

“All under parental consent they can get prescriptions, they can get diagnosed, they can receive one on one therapy, there’s a whole host of services that these centers provide,” said Doll.

The funding for these school-based health centers is part of a $25 million investment to increase access to high-quality healthcare resources for students across the state of Michigan. In addition to Grand Ledge High School and East Lansing Public Schools, Springport Public Schools and the Concord Community School District will also get state money for new health centers.

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