NORWICH – The Norwich City School District has entered early discussions that may see the return of a school-based health center for students.
Members of the NCSD Board of Education balanced the pros and cons of having a school-based health center during their monthly meeting last week, thrashing out how a center would be a benefit to students and parents; as well as the price tag at which it comes. The district is mulling over a possible contract with Bassett Healthcare, a locally based healthcare network with 19 school-based sites across 14 districts in Chenango, Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie counties.
According to NCSD Deputy Superintendent Robert Wightman, discussions are in the preliminary stages, but there is a possibility that a center may be open as early as September. It would be the first health center in the Norwich City School District since Chenango Memorial Hospital exited its agreement with the school in 2010.
“This is something that we’re very interested in,” Wightman said, noting the school’s decision to approach Bassett. “(Bassett) can serve a variety of different needs and we thought they would be a good fit.”
Bassett currently oversees two school-based health centers in Chenango County, one at the Sherburne-Earlville Central School District and the other at the Unadilla Valley School District. Wightman said Norwich intents to collaborate with those districts to gain better understanding of the relationship between Bassett and local schools.
The NCSD School Board saw an informational presentation during its monthly meeting last Wednesday which laid out some details of what the district can expect if it follows through with a contract. Although final agreements on services and costs may still be weeks away, the center would likely include nurse practitioners and practical nurses, school nurses, physicians and physician assistants, mental health workers, dentists and dental hygienists, and support staff.
The result, explained Bassett Healthcare Clinical Manager Jane Hamilton, would be healthier students who are ready to learn.
“It’s easy access to healthcare for kids,” said Hamilton. “We would become part of the school community where kids feel comfortable coming to us. It would also help ease the burden on parents who wouldn’t have to take time off from work to get their child medical attention. It helps with a lot of barriers.”
In 2013, Bassett handled more than 32,100 visits at its existing school-based health centers (30 percent for mental health, 10 percent for dental, Hamilton pointed out). While its operating budget in 2013 cost the organization $3.66 million, it saw only $2.5 million in revenues, said Hamilton.
While start-up costs for a center would be shared between Bassett and the Norwich City School District, continuing operational expenses would be collected by billing insurance companies (but nothing out of pocket) and Medicaid. Additional funds are made available by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, the New York State Department of Health, foundations and businesses. In-kind services – including lab supervision, printing, pharmacy, and courier – would be provided by Bassett while Norwich would provide basic facility costs and maintenance such as heat, electric, phone, and fax.
Wightman said the district already has space for the clinic, making any major renovations unlikely. That space has been largely unutilized since the contracted ended with Chenango Memorial, he said.
“There are a lot of positives by exploring this,” Wightman added. “We’re still looking at the numbers, but I think it makes perfect sense. There’s a lot f research to show how students benefit by having access to these kinds of services.”
If contracted, Bassett would be required periodic meetings with the NCSD superintendent and reports to the board of education.