Rogue Community Health reports school-based visits reached 59% of Eagle Point SD 9 students in 2023–24

Rogue Community Health (RCH) told the Eagle Point School District 9 Board of Directors on Jan. 10 that, based on the district enrollment report for May 2024, it had seen 2,413 of the district’s 4,074 students — about 59.22 percent — in either medical or behavioral-health visits during the 2023–24 school year.

RCH staff described services delivered at three school-based health centers and by full‑time behavioral-health clinicians placed across the district. RCH said clinicians performed both medical and mental‑health visits, conducted routine screening for risk (including suicide risk), and made referrals where necessary to school counselors or Jackson County Mental Health and, in some cases, to hospital care.

The presentation highlighted behavioral-health activity: RCH reported roughly 4,097 behavioral‑health visits and 398 behavioral‑health referrals in the prior year, with clinician caseloads averaging about 30 to 40 clients. RCH managers said anxiety, depression and trauma‑related issues were common across elementary and middle grades; high‑school clinicians additionally encountered substance‑use concerns. RCH said all students seen in the school‑based health centers are screened for safety concerns regardless of why they visit the clinic.

Board members pressed staff on how suicide and crisis concerns are handled. RCH described a formal safety‑assessment process: clinicians assess risk, contact parents and, when indicated, coordinate with county mental‑health partners or law enforcement and, if needed, accompany students to emergency care. RCH and district staff said the district’s content‑monitoring tools and a human‑reviewed alert program also have generated several reports this school year that led to outreach or wellness checks.

RCH also described a youth resource‑navigator program that takes referrals for social‑determinant needs (food, housing, transportation, health‑coverage assistance) and shared a school‑by‑school referral breakdown showing some schools produced more referrals than others. RCH staff emphasized bilingual staffing and outreach at events such as open houses and orientation nights.

On funding, presenters and district staff gave differing preliminary figures. A RCH presenter said the district’s “basic fee” paid to RCH had been “in the ballpark of $80,000” in the prior year but asked to verify that number. District finance staff later reported the district pays RCH a fixed fee of $20,000 per school‑based health center (three centers, or $60,000), and separately pays about $44,000 toward the school nurse position, saying the $60,000 figure was the recurring line item for the centers. Board members asked the district to confirm exact contract amounts and funding sources before finalizing budget decisions.

Board members and the presenters identified two near‑term follow ups: (1) district finance will confirm the precise annual contract amounts and charges, and (2) RCH and district staff will continue coordination on access, screening protocols and family outreach to increase awareness of services.

RCH asked that the board note the centers are certified by the state and that state reviewers visit to verify compliance with certification requirements.