The Board of County Commissioners Thursday honored three decades of service to students through a network of school-based health centers.
“We know going upstream works,” said Commissioner Jules Bailey. “School-based clinics are one of the best investments we can make.”
More than 6,500 children across Multnomah County seek out services at health centers in the David Douglas, Parkrose, Centennial and Portland Public School Districts each year. They make more than 17,000 visits for primary care check-ups, sports physicals, contraception, sexual health concerns and mental health services.
Nearly a third of those kids identify as Latino, and 17 percent as African American. One-in-five student patients speaks Spanish at home.
This week students and parents will join Chair Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner Loretta Smith, Oregon Legislators and staff as they unveil a major clinic renovation at Roosevelt High School, the first school-based health center in the state.
Shelley Bedell, a registered nurse at Roosevelt said a lot has changed over the years.
“Image 30 years ago when distributing condoms was controversial,” she said “I meet with teens on urgent care needs, immunizations, reproductive health care. There are families who can’t take them to another care provider. We see these kids and their parents sometimes. We see them independently. Sports physicals, well-teen check ups. I see students because of questions about sexual health, emotional health. And it is indeed a privilege.”
Join us for a celebration at Roosevelt High School
What: celebration of 30 years of service and opening of the new clinic at Roosevelt High
When: 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 5
Where: 6941 N Central St., Portland Or.