MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional sourcing and links.
The School District of Manatee County and MCR Health teamed up to open a School Based Health Center at Manatee Elementary.
According to a news release, this is the second school-based health center of its type in the county -- with the first opening at Southeast High School in February.
This location is not open to the general public, making the health center at Manatee Elementary unique.
“It’s a game changer,” said Manatee Schools Superintendent Cynthia Saunders. “It certainly is going to impact not only our students that attend Manatee Elementary School, but it also can impact and be of assistance to their families and this community.”
The School Based Health Center is open to enrolled students for their pediatric and behavioral health needs.
Here are some of the services available to students:
- Well Child Exams
- Sick Visits
- Counseling Services
- Immunizations
- Vision Screenings
- Dental Services
“If you have all the wraparound services to ensure that our students are coming to school healthy, then we can ensure that we are giving them the best academic chance possible,” Saunders said.
Saunders says centers like these have been linked to improved academic outcomes, such as improved GPAs, attendance, grade promotion, college preparation, and reduced rates of suspension.
“If you have some vision problems and you don’t have access to insurance to get glasses or an eye exam, then those things are never really resolved for a student,” Saunders said. “We will provide those here as well as dental.”
After seeing issues like attendance at Manatee Elementary because of medical issues, the school district knew it was the place to build their next portable health center.
The Family Practice portable will provide adult family medicine services to the general public including annual wellness exams, sick visits and immunizations. According to a news release, MCR Health accepts most insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid, and a sliding fee scale is offered for individuals who qualify.
As of now COVID-19 testing will not be offered at this School Based Health Center, but MCR Health President and CEO Patrick Carnegie says coronavirus testing is not out of the question. If they see a need for it, he says they could very well offer screenings and COVID-19 tests.
In the meantime, students, faculty and those from the community can get their flu shots here.
The new School Based Health Center is the product of a partnership between MCR Health, School District of Manatee County, Manatee Elementary School - A Community Partnership School ™, Children’s Home Society of Florida and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.
Superintendent Saunders says this will not be the last School Based Health Center they open on a Manatee School campus.
"We’ve already targeted the site and we’ve already started the beginning stages," Saunders said. "It will be Daughtrey Elementary."