Hawaii Island Community Health Center has launched School Based Health Centers to provide care on site in local schools.
This resource for parents and keiki alike are now open at Honaunau Elementary, and Kealakehe Elementary and Intermediate Schools. The School Based Health Centers will offer much-needed services including well child exams, acute care visits, behavioral health care and dental services.
“Our School Based Health Centers should not replace routine care. Our goal is to provide care that is in addition to the care received at a child’s primary doctor’s office. This is also a chance for children who don’t otherwise have access to health care to receive it easily in a school setting,” said Hawaii Island Community Health Center CEO Richard Taaffe. “Parents are so busy these days. It’s our hope that the convenience of a health center at school will reduce students time away from school and parents time away from work.”
Hawaii Island Community Health Center’s School Based Health Centers at Kealakehe and Honaunau provide primary care services including well child exams, vaccinations, sports physicals, acute care visits (sick visits, injuries etc.) and chronic care visits (asthma, ADHD, allergy shots etc.). Behavior health care and dental services are also be available.
According to the Hawaii Island Community Health Center, any student with a signed consent form may be seen in the School Based Health Center at the school that they attend.
In the next phase of operation, staff of the school including teachers, counselors, bus drivers, janitorial and kitchen staff will also be eligible to receive primary health care services. Signing up for school-based health care at Kealakehe and Honaunau is optional and not mandatory.
Each School Based Health Center is staffed with a medical team including a primary care provider. In addition to primary care, campus health centers have access to behavioral health psychologists, and pediatric dental teams. Operating hours vary by each school location and the needs of the students there.
Hawaii Island Community Health Center said it is exploring options with the Department of Education in hopes of expanding School Based Health Centers to other Hawaii Island school locations in 2023 and beyond.
