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District outlines school-based health centers and telehealth rollout for secondary schools
Summary
Supervision for school health services described four school-based health centers and a telehealth program that begins in November for secondary schools; Chesapeake Health Care will provide telehealth clinicians, digital consent and online scheduling tools will be implemented, and grant funding waives copays for uninsured children.
The board heard a presentation on the district's school-based health centers and an upcoming telehealth rollout for secondary schools.
Chair Malone introduced Mrs. Frisch, the district's supervisor for school health services, who said WCPS currently operates four school-based health centers at Beaver Run Elementary School, East Salisbury Elementary School, a site transcribed in the meeting as "Wicomico Bridal School," and Wicomico High School. She said services at the centers include sick visits, treatment of minor injuries, prescription services, chronic-condition follow-up (asthma, diabetes), sports physicals, counseling, health education and case management to help families apply for insurance.
Mrs. Frisch said Chesapeake Health Care provides the school-based services and that grant funding covers copays and deductibles for uninsured patients so families do not pay out of pocket. She outlined the telehealth plan: secondary schools will have one scheduled day with a four-hour block for telehealth appointments (appointments limited to 30 minutes after intake), providers include Lily Ballard (family nurse practitioner) and Kelly Noonan, and principals will share information and consent forms on school websites. Parents will be present virtually for visits that involve prescription or medication changes; CNAs and school nurses will supervise students during appointments and a CNA will be in earshot during appointments.
Mrs. Frisch described planned digital consent packets and an online scheduling tool (Bookins) to allow families to schedule appointments, and noted telehealth is an additional service to on-site health centers rather than a replacement.
Why it matters: school-based care and telehealth aim to reduce barriers to care, increase attendance and support students with chronic health needs; the program reduces out-of-pocket costs for uninsured families and expands access to behavioral and medical services during the school day.
Next steps: principals will distribute scheduling and consent information, and administration will implement digital consent and online scheduling as IT completes integration.
