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Public health department outlines school-based health center expansion and outreach campaign
Summary
Waterbury public health officials updated the Board on enrollment growth at school-based health centers, a targeted outreach campaign and progress on a planned Driggs School expansion for 2025–26.
Aisling McGuckin, director of the Waterbury Public Health Department, and Natalie Hellerich, director of clinical services, updated the Waterbury Board of Education on Feb. 13 about school-based health centers, outreach efforts and the Driggs site expansion.
Hellerich explained the centers provide on-site medical, dental and behavioral health services staffed by advanced practice registered nurses, behavioral-health clinicians, dentists and dental hygienists. "School-based health centers do not replace the student's medical home," Hellerich said, adding that the centers work with students’ primary-care doctors, school nurses and other school-based staff.
Why it matters: The presenters said school-based health centers increase access to care, improve school attendance and expand mental-health supports. Enrollment rose sharply: program staff reported 281 enrolled students in 2023 and said enrollment had grown to 2,097 as of January of this year, with about 60 new enrollments in recent months.
The department described a state grant-funded public outreach campaign run with the Works media group, including targeted social ads, boosted posts and a public-service announcement directing families to takecarewaterbury.com for enrollment. The team said the campaign produced 573 clicks and about 68,900 ad views during the initial run and that staff will measure any enrollment impact once final data are available.
The presenters also provided a progress update on a planned expansion at Driggs School, describing a construction schedule aimed at opening full medical, dental and behavioral suites for the 2025–26 school year. Site work reported: sheetrock and plumbing completed and electrical work finished; cabinetry and fixtures were being ordered.
Ending: Board members asked about translation of outreach materials and outreach to preschool families; presenters said campaign materials are accessible via Google Translate and that the district welcome center and Office of Early Childhood have been partners in targeted outreach.
