PHWC celebrates National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month
Panther Health and Wellness Clinic is celebrating National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month in February by spreading the message about what the clinic has to offer.
The National School-Based Health Alliance celebrates February as a month to recognize the success of school-based health centers and bring attention to the way the centers are impacting kids, according to Sarah Jones, director of the Panther Health and Wellness Center.
Many people aren’t aware of how many services the Siloam Springs clinic offers or the fact that the clinic is for everyone, Jones said. She explained that she wants the clinic to be seen as a resource center for students, staff members, their families and the community.
“We are a school-based health center so our focus is students, and our school staff — they are definitely why we’re here — but we also are able to see people from the community that are in need,” she said.
The clinic, located in a wing of the intermediate school, offers physical and mental health services for students and their families, school staff members and the community. It also serves as the home base for Bright Futures Siloam Springs and the local Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
“All of those things work really well together to serve the whole child,” Jones said.
The clinic got its start in 2013 when the school district received a five-year, $500,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Education’s Office of Coordinated School Health. The district partnered with Community Clinic Siloam Springs to provide medical services and with Ozark Guidance to provide mental health services. A wing of the intermediate school was remodeled to include offices, exam rooms and a lab. The clinic officially opened in April 2014.
Since the clinic opened four years ago, it has grown to serve more than 2,400 patients, Jones said. More than half of appointments are for students and the rest are for school staff members, family members of students and the community.
Peter Granderson, advanced practice registered nurse, provides full medical services including labs and immunizations five days a week. Sherry McFaddin, licensed clinical social worker, provides mental health services for students and families, including play therapy, two days a week. Carleen Lillich, licensed professional counselor, also sees patients in the clinic.
The clinic’s biggest focus is making sure that all students have the same access to health care, Jones said. She pointed out that students can’t achieve their full potential when their basic needs, such as food, clothing and health-care are not met. The clinic works with local foundations to help families who can’t pay for needs such as medication or x-rays.
“We want to fill in the gaps of what children and families need so children can be more successful at school, so it’s nice to be able to bring different partners together to meet needs that students have,” Jones said.
One of the biggest benefits the clinic provides is convenience for parents, Jones. Whether students are visiting the clinic for a sports physical or immunizations, or they need to see a health-care provider because they got sick at school, the district provides transportation to and from the clinic. School nurses help determine when a child needs to be seen in the clinic and work with parents to make sure the proper paperwork is completed.
“A lot of times a parent doesn’t have transportation or maybe doesn’t have flexibility to take off of work to bring their child here,” Jones said. “We encourage parents to be here with their students but we know that sometimes parents aren’t able and so we want to still be able to get the child here.”
The clinic serves people of all socioeconomic levels who have private insurance, medicaid or no insurance at all. It offers a sliding scale to help patients who have no insurance or who have a high deductible. The clinic is not free, but it also does not turn anyone away based on their ability to pay, Jones said.
Patients who do have health insurance and can afford to pay at full price should not hesitate to use the clinic because their participation makes the clinic more financially sustainable.
“I think finally people are starting to realize not only can you get quality care here, but you can get convenient care,” she said.
The clinic is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is open from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and from 7 a.m. to noon on Friday. For more information call 479-5248175.