Hancock County school board receives update on health centers  | News, Sports, Jobs

UPDATE — Lisa Mowry, CEO of CHANGE, Inc., at left, attended Monday’s assembly of the Hancock County Board of Education to supply an update on the company’s school-based health facilities at Weirton Elementary and on the Weir High and Weir Middle campus. — Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — The Hancock County Board of Education acquired an update, Monday, on the operations of two school-based health facilities within the county, with some members indicating the potential of increasing this system sooner or later. 

Lisa Mowry, chief government officer of CHANGE, Inc. was on hand to supply the board with the report. CHANGE presently operates health facilities at Weirton Elementary School and on the campus of Weir High and Weir Middle faculties. 

“For the past six years, we have steadily grown,” Mowry reported. 

The school-based health facilities fall beneath the auspices of CHANGE’s household medical care packages, with the company working 13 such facilities within the Tri-State Area. 

In the Hancock County Schools system, CHANGE started on the Weirton Elementary School, offering service to 462 college students in 2017. The Weir Complex School-Based Health Center opened in 2019, at which period a complete of 901 college students had been offered care, with 685 at Weirton Elementary and 216 on the Weir campus. 

Those numbers have elevated through the years, with Mowry indicating a complete of 1,097 college students served in 2020, 1,354 in 2021 and, up to now in 2022, there have been 917 college students served with 436 at Weirton Elementary and 481 on the Weir campus. 

Among the companies offered, Mowry famous, there have been 156 college students with a power sickness prognosis, 113 administered immunizations excluding the COVID vaccine, 447 with behavioral health prognosis, and 35 supplied with dental examinations. 

“We are only open currently at Weirton Elementary for dental,” Mowry famous. 

Of these college students offered companies this 12 months, 27 are beneath the age of 5; 328 are between 5 and 10 years of age; 352 between 11 and 16; and 210 over the age of 17. Mowry famous 12 p.c stay at or under the poverty stage, with 8.7 p.c uninsured; 47 p.c lined by Medicaid and 43 p.c lined beneath personal insurance coverage. 

In addition, the facilities serve roughly 75 college students per 12 months via a backpack meals distribution program; have offered 142 free sports activities physicals; 472 free COVID checks; and 54 free COVID vaccines. The excessive school has begun operation of a store-style meals pantry, and college students are also supplied with instructional and hygiene provides. 

Board member Larry Shaw requested whether or not CHANGE receives any federal funds, and whether or not it requires them to comply with any particular mandates from the federal authorities. Mowry famous some federal funds assist choose packages, with a lot of their companies funded by grants and foundations, and most of their mandated actions revolving across the submitting of yearly stories and audits. 

Board Vice President Ed Fields requested about the potential of increasing the school-based health middle program to different faculties in Hancock County, saying he is aware of there beforehand had been some funding out there. 

“I think that funding has gone away,” he added. 

Mowry famous a few of these funds had been offered via the CARES Act and had been not out there, and funding which is obtainable won’t enable for building of latest services. 

“We can furnish the space and we can operate the space,” she stated. 

Mowry famous, along with Hancock County, CHANGE additionally operates school-based health facilities in Brooke and Jefferson counties.