Cleveland Clinic Children's Health Center To Open Center At LHS

The Lakewood Board of Education earlier this month approved an agreement with Cleveland Clinic Children’s to provide health care services, including mental health services, to Lakewood High School students and employees of the Lakewood City Schools through a school-based health center at Lakewood High.

In introducing the agreement prior to the Board’s vote on Sept. 5, member Emma Petrie Barcelona stated that the mission of the school-based health center is to meet the physical and mental health needs of the LHS students, reduce absenteeism and thereby improve students’ academic standing. Cleveland Clinic Children’s will manage medical personnel while the District will provide the space in the school for the center — which will be located on the first floor with a separate, secure entrance.

The first year of the three-year agreement will be a pilot year for both parties to assess the success of the collaboration, with either party able to withdraw from the contract with 45 days’ notice.

Board members and Superintendent Jeff Patterson emphasized that the ability to provide mental health services was key to moving forward with the agreement as the number of teenagers suffering from depression and anxiety continues to grow.

“The ability to meet the mental health needs of the students of Lakewood High is critical,” said Petrie Barcelona.

”We are excited to collaborate with Lakewood City Schools and bring our first full-time, in-school clinic to Lakewood High School,” said Genevive Falconi, MD, medical director of Cleveland Clinic Children’s School-Based Health Center. “Our agreement with Lakewood City Schools further strengthens our commitment to the community.”

Use of the School-Based Health Center, which is expected to open this fall, is optional for students. The school will continue to operate its own health clinic, which will be the first place students go for care during the school day. Families will be billed through their insurance. Those without insurance coverage will be referred to a financial counselor to discuss payment options.

This agreement between the District and Cleveland Clinic Children’s continues a collaboration of providing health care services that began in the 2015-2016 school year when Cleveland Clinic Children’s mobile health unit started serving our students at Garfield Middle School and Harrison Elementary School. Lakewood High School, Harding Middle School, and Emerson, Horace Mann and Lincoln elementaries were added to the rotation in the 2016-2017 school year.

For more information, visit www.lakewoodcityschools.org for a list of FAQs regarding the school-based center.

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Volume 13, Issue 18, Posted 9:26 PM, 09.19.2017