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District updates SMART clinic expansion; third clinic planned at Ella Riske Elementary at no cost to district
Summary
The superintendent said SMART clinic partners have secured funding to add a third clinic at Ella Riske Elementary, with construction planned over the summer and an anticipated fall opening; district staff said the clinics are intended to be self-sustaining and not billed to the district.
The Central Falls School District received an update Dec. 17 on the expansion of SMART school clinics. District leaders said the partnership has secured funding to build a third clinic at Ella Riske Elementary School at no cost to the district, and construction is expected to occur over the summer to allow a fall opening.
The superintendent said the first clinic (at Calcutt) opened three school years ago and a second opened at Vets last school year. She said the initial site averaged about 33 visits per day (transcript excerpt) and the second about 15 per day; the packet language presented to trustees stated "over 23100 visits" across sites 70 days into the school year (as quoted in the meeting materials). The superintendent said partners including Brown Medical School, CVS and SMART have been involved in supporting the clinics and that local discussions are underway with Blackstone Valley Community Health Center about placing a clinic in the new high school in the future.
Board members asked whether clinic space would take away instructional areas and how future funding would be sustained after the initial three-year private funding window. The superintendent said planned renovations will use existing basement faculty-room space and an adjacent empty classroom so no instructional space would be lost, and that the SMART model is on track to be fully self-sustaining and is not expected to bill the district for services.
The update was informational and did not require a board vote. Administration said it will provide further updates in the new year as planning continues for a possible fourth clinic at the new high school.
