School board reviews Care ATC proposal for employee health center as current contract nears end

At a workshop of the School Board of Highlands County, district staff and representatives of Care ATC presented a proposal to operate the district's employee health center as the district's current clinic contract approaches its 2025 expiration. Andrew Lethbridge, deputy superintendent, told the board the district opened its current clinic in February 2019 and that the current contract runs through the end of 2025. He said the district went out to bid and two vendors met bid qualifications; the insurance committee interviewed both and is recommending Care ATC.

The recommendation matters to employees and the district's health plan because Care ATC's proposal includes expanded services, a multi‑year staffing plan and higher initial costs. Care ATC proposed a conservative Year 1 staffing model of 1.5 nurse practitioners and 2.5 medical assistants, with potential to add services such as X-ray, mental health, registered dietitians and physical therapy in later years. Mitch, Care ATC's vice president of operations for the East, described a three‑phase implementation (discovery, planning, transition) and a three‑year growth strategy that starts small and scales services if utilization rises.

Care ATC officials said Year 1 on‑site costs would be roughly $1.2 million under the proposal, including ongoing labor fees and estimated…