REX-UNC and WakeMed Convene Wake County School Health Meeting

July 25, 2011 - PRLog -- The issue of health care has been a hot topic in the political arena this year, and for Wake County teens, the issue is just as salient. Last Wednesday, July 20th , Rex-UNC Health Care, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, and the North Carolina School Community Health Alliance partnered with Youth Empowered Solutions (YES!) to convene a meeting of school board members, medical providers and Wake County students to discuss how the establishment of a school-based health center may increase access to vital mental and physical health services and address the needs of the over 16,000 uninsured youth in Wake County.

“This meeting was important to have right now when so many teens in Wake County are
not getting the health care they need and deserve,” says YES! youth staff Dynasty
Winters. “We need to get away from the idea that health and education are two separate
areas. How do we expect students to learn if they are not healthy and in their seats?”

The youth’s passion for the idea was reciprocated by the positive response of those who
attended the convening. “It is impressive to hear Wake County teens who have actually
researched the topic and talked with their peers about the importance of health care
services,” said Steve Shore, Executive Director of the North Carolina Pediatric Society.
With the recent closing of Wake Teen Medical Services, a center that provided primary
care to the students who need it the most, is needed now more than ever.

According to YES! Program Director Parrish Ravelli, a school-based health center can
provide annual wellness checks, vaccinations, and support the management of chronic
illness. Ravelli, who also works closely with the National Assembly of School Based
Heath Centers says, “We know that the model of school-based care bridges the gap
between the health and educational community and addresses the needs of the whole
child, allowing them to reach the fullest potential.”

The issue of sustainability was a major talking point at the meeting. Presenters noted that federal funding is a possibility for the construction/staffing of the center. Medical
providers such as Rex-UNC Health Care, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, and Wake
Health Services, a federal-qualified community health center all have a stake and interest in contributing to the long-term success of this center.

According to providers from the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians,
adolescents are among the most medically underserved populations.
Considering that a school nurse is only available once or twice a week in most Wake
County schools, Wake County students have cause for concern. In fact, the Wake County
student to nurse ratio is an astonishing 1:2100 while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended level is 1:750.

Yet ratios aren’t the only need that a school-based health center can fill. The 50 other
school-based and school-linked health centers in North Carolina are known to provide
comprehensive education, vaccinations, and treatment related to mental health, injury and various chronic and acute illnesses, and for many are the medical home they wouldn’t have otherwise.

The result is higher school attendance, lower emergency room visits, and added support
for uninsured youth. Moreover, these on-campus services are developed based on the
needs of each individual community, benefitting everyone.

Moving forward the attendees will continue to meet regularly as the Wake School-Based
Health Center Task Force. For questions about participation in the Task Force, please
contact Parrish Ravelli at Parrish@youthempoweredsolutions.org .