PORTLAND- The Roosevelt High School health center, the first in Oregon, is turning 30.
On Monday, Dec. 5, Multnomah County and Portland Public School leaders cut the ribbon on a new school-based health center (SBHC) after school bond renovations at Roosevelt.
Dozens of current and former staff -- including the high school principal and health officials who opened the original clinic -- celebrated alongside students and administrators.
“The Roosevelt School-Based Health Center was the first west of St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a historic step in a national movement and one that the Multnomah County Commission, Portland Public Schools and Oregon Legislature can be proud of,’’ said Chair Deborah Kafoury.
Chair Kafoury’s late mother, Gretchen, was one of those County Commissioners. Her father, Stephen Kafoury, was on the Portland School Board at the time.
“My parents believed health was critical for children to be successful in the classroom, and so do I,’’ the Chair said.
Today, Multnomah County has 13 health centers across Portland Public Schools, David Douglas, Parkrose, and Centennial school districts. There are a total of 76 SBHCs across the State and 2,315 across the nation.
School-based health centers are a powerful investment in the health and academic potential of children and adolescents, said program manager Alexandra Lowell. They provide access to primary care services-- well child/adolescent exams, illness and injury treatment, immunizations, reproductive health, prescriptions, healthy eating and active living counseling, as well as mental health services -- that enable children and adolescents to thrive in the classroom and beyond. They focus on prevention and early intervention and serve all children ages 5 to 18 in the County, whether families have private health insurance, public health insurance, or no insurance at all.
The school-based health center model breaks down barriers to access by being located in the school. Students get back to the classroom faster and parent’s time is saved by reducing missed work hours.
“While getting the very first health clinic in a public school may have been difficult to do in 1986, it was a pioneering legacy,’’ said Bob McKean, interim superintendent of Portland Public Schools. “Evidence shows that these centers reduce school absences and tardiness, and as any teacher or administrator will tell you, when students are both physically and emotionally healthy, they are better prepared to learn and be successful in school. Students now have improved access to health center staff who can provide team-based care. They collaborate with teachers, coaches, students, their families, and the school to create an environment that helps kids stay healthy and thrive.”
Roosevelt High School senior Fredy Mejia said, “It’s great to have a school-based health center because it makes going to the doctor as simple as walking down the hall. The health center is a part of our school and we feel like they’re really here for us.”