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Edgewater Health pitches school-based clinic to Gary schools; board hears details on hours, access and parental consent
Summary
Edgewater Health proposed an integrated primary and behavioral health clinic at Westside High School offering in-school care, immunizations and crisis counseling; presenters said services would be available to students, staff and the community and would require parental consent for student care.
Representatives from Edgewater Health presented a proposal to establish an on-site, school-based clinic at Westside High School that would offer integrated primary care and behavioral health services.
Dr. Karen Bishop Morris, Edgewater's chief development and communications officer, and Dr. Jerry Browning, the organization's chief medical officer, described staffing plans that include nurse practitioners with family-medicine and behavioral-health backgrounds, physician backups, diagnostic services, screenings and referrals for specialty care. Edgewater emphasized it has provided behavioral-health services in Gary for decades and said this proposal expands those services to include primary care.
Edgewater told the board the proposed hours would align with school hours (about 7:30 a.m. to 3:00–3:30 p.m.) and that the clinic would principally serve students but would also be open to staff and community members. On cost, the presenters said Edgewater would provide services using Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance, and that no direct cost to the district was expected beyond providing a physical facility and a separate entrance.
Board members asked how parents would authorize care. The presenters said parental consent would be required before referrals or services beyond routine nurse care; some districts use standing permission forms but, in all cases, parental consent was emphasized for clinical care. Edgewater also said it would provide 24-hour medical-access lines for urgent questions and maintain partnerships with retail pharmacies to offer discounted medications.
Edgewater noted potential benefits including increased access to care, fewer missed school days for medical appointments, and opportunities for students to gain health-care training and internships. Presenters cited national and state data on youth mental-health concerns and said integrated services can reduce barriers to care.
No formal board vote on a contract or memorandum of understanding with Edgewater was recorded during the meeting; trustees asked clarifying questions and acknowledged the presentation as an expansion of existing behavioral-health partnerships.
