With the snip of an oversized pair of shears, a group of about a dozen local and state officials, supporters, and local school staffers celebrated the opening of a new and independent health center at Newtown Middle School March 13.

Newtowner Melanie Bonjour, the school health center manager for the Danbury-based Connecticut Institute for Communities, organized a brief speaking program ahead of the ribbon-cutting festivities, which included remarks from former congressman and institute CEO James Maloney, First Selectman Pat Llodra, Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, Middle School Principal Tom Einhorn, and the state Department of Health Deputy Commissioner Janet Brancifort.

Ms Brancifort told those gathered for the event that the center is a “fine product today, and tomorrow it will be even better.”

Dr Erardi said he hoped the successful and expedient development of the center would serve as a national model for other boards of education looking to establish similar facilities within their districts.

“This center will be an integral piece of our rebuild of Newtown,” Dr Erardi said, giving Principal Einhorn and district Facilities Director Gino Faiella credit for coordinating their energies toward the “relentless pursuit of the idea, of bringing such an asset to Newtown.

Mrs Llodra said the many individuals who collaborated to bring the center to fruition represented “the right team at the right time,” adding that Dr Erardi was “the strongest voice” behind the fast-tracked efforts to establish the center.

“This facility represents a value-added opportunity for our community,” Mrs Llodra remarked.

Ms Culbert said longtime local physician and Health District trustee Thomas Draper, MD, first learned about a funding opportunity from the state Department of Public Health, and that Newtown eventually qualified for assistance based on the expectation of “unique needs among students post-12/14, and the availability of funds to make it happen.”

“These types of centers are more often developed in urban settings,” Ms Culbert said, noting that the independent center would supplement and complement the school nursing staff.

“The center is designed to serve as a liaison between the school, parents, and other health providers,” she said. “It’s somewhat unique in that it brings an APRN, a licensed clinical social worker, and a licensed medical assistant into the middle school, and will improve the continuity of care students may require above and beyond what the school nurse can provide.”

Ms Culbert estimated that at the middle school, the nursing staff oversees about 800 students, but she believes services at the health center will be used by around 30 percent or more of those children.

“From a clinical perspective, the nurses’ office should welcome and triage students, and then get them back into the system,” she said. “While they may see the same student over a long period of time, who complains about stomach aches or another nonspecific health condition, the center could take on that same student with the resources to get to the bottom of what is really happening, and alleviate it.”

If the school nurse suspects a student may have a strep throat, Ms Culbert said the student can be referred to the center to be tested, diagnosed, and treatment proposed.

“It’s not a replacement for their pediatrician, but they can provide much more comprehensive initial intervention than the school nurse,” she said.

Ms Culbert said the center is not engaging in any reproductive health services counseling, and would not necessarily share patient records with the school.

In cases where finances may provide a barrier of access to health services, the center puts services in direct proximity to where the patients or students spend most of their daytime hours.

She also pointed out that the center will remain after temporary post-12/14 services that are currently grant funded “may disappear.”

School board member Michelle Ku, PhD, was part of a committee who visited other school-based health centers to get some ideas about how to design and equip the local facility.

“Quite a few people did a lot of work to get us to this opening,” she said. “I got to visit other schools to discuss the pluses and minuses of these facilities. District Nursing Supervisor Ann Dalton was also instrumental in making this happen.”

Dr Ku also noted the potential for the center to step in when and if grant-funded health support systems are no longer financed.

“This will be a permanent fixture that will provide consistency long after short term supports go away.”

Judy Blanchard, MS, CPP, the district's Recovery Project Director said she was very pleased that Newtown was given the opportunity to have a School Based Health Center at the middle school.

“Newtown has received many support services post 12/14,” Ms Blanchard said. “Unfortunately, much of this support is time limited. The SBHC is a support that will be available long into the future. For those who choose to access the services, it will be a great help for busy families.”

Ms Blanchard said the district’s school nurses will continue to be the first line of defense, but when a condition arises that would benefit from a medical intervention, that visit can occur right on the premises with less lost school time and no cost to the family.

“Of course, contagious students would be sent home, but many other problems can be addressed, and the student can return to class,” she added. “Adolescence is also a time when emotional concerns and physical symptoms can be related. Frequent headaches and stomach aches, for example, can be physical symptoms caused by emotional stress. The SBHC is equipped to help distinguish these nuances and get to the root of the issue. The APRN and Social Worker make a great team. I would encourage any middle school parent to visit the facility and meet the staff.”

With the snip of an oversized pair of shears, a group of about a dozen local and state officials, supporters, and local school staffers celebrated the opening of a new and independent health center at Newtown Middle School March 13.

Newtowner Melanie Bonjour, the school health center manager for the Danbury-based Connecticut Institute for Communities, organized a brief speaking program ahead of the ribbon-cutting festivities, which included remarks from former congressman and institute CEO James Maloney, First Selectman Pat Llodra, Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, Middle School Principal Tom Einhorn, and the state Department of Health Deputy Commissioner Janet Brancifort.

Ms Brancifort told those gathered for the event that the center is a “fine product today, and tomorrow it will be even better.”

Dr Erardi said he hoped the successful and expedient development of the center would serve as a national model for other boards of education looking to establish similar facilities within their districts.

“This center will be an integral piece of our rebuild of Newtown,” Dr Erardi said, giving Principal Einhorn and district Facilities Director Gino Faiella credit for coordinating their energies toward the “relentless pursuit of the idea, of bringing such an asset to Newtown.

Mrs Llodra said the many individuals who collaborated to bring the center to fruition represented “the right team at the right time,” adding that Dr Erardi was “the strongest voice” behind the fast-tracked efforts to establish the center.

“This facility represents a value-added opportunity for our community,” Mrs Llodra remarked.

Ms Culbert said longtime local physician and Health District trustee Thomas Draper, MD, first learned about a funding opportunity from the state Department of Public Health, and that Newtown eventually qualified for assistance based on the expectation of “unique needs among students post-12/14, and the availability of funds to make it happen.”

“These types of centers are more often developed in urban settings,” Ms Culbert said, noting that the independent center would supplement and complement the school nursing staff.

“The center is designed to serve as a liaison between the school, parents, and other health providers,” she said. “It’s somewhat unique in that it brings an APRN, a licensed clinical social worker, and a licensed medical assistant into the middle school, and will improve the continuity of care students may require above and beyond what the school nurse can provide.”

Ms Culbert estimated that at the middle school, the nursing staff oversees about 800 students, but she believes services at the health center will be used by around 30 percent or more of those children.

“From a clinical perspective, the nurses’ office should welcome and triage students, and then get them back into the system,” she said. “While they may see the same student over a long period of time, who complains about stomach aches or another nonspecific health condition, the center could take on that same student with the resources to get to the bottom of what is really happening, and alleviate it.”

If the school nurse suspects a student may have a strep throat, Ms Culbert said the student can be referred to the center to be tested, diagnosed, and treatment proposed.

“It’s not a replacement for their pediatrician, but they can provide much more comprehensive initial intervention than the school nurse,” she said.

Ms Culbert said the center is not engaging in any reproductive health services counseling, and would not necessarily share patient records with the school.

In cases where finances may provide a barrier of access to health services, the center puts services in direct proximity to where the patients or students spend most of their daytime hours.

She also pointed out that the center will remain after temporary post-12/14 services that are currently grant funded “may disappear.”

School board member Michelle Ku, PhD, was part of a committee who visited other school-based health centers to get some ideas about how to design and equip the local facility.

“Quite a few people did a lot of work to get us to this opening,” she said. “I got to visit other schools to discuss the pluses and minuses of these facilities. District Nursing Supervisor Ann Dalton was also instrumental in making this happen.”

Dr Ku also noted the potential for the center to step in when and if grant-funded health support systems are no longer financed.

“This will be a permanent fixture that will provide consistency long after short term supports go away.”

Judy Blanchard, MS, CPP, the district's Recovery Project Director said she was very pleased that Newtown was given the opportunity to have a School Based Health Center at the middle school.

“Newtown has received many support services post 12/14,” Ms Blanchard said. “Unfortunately, much of this support is time limited. The SBHC is a support that will be available long into the future. For those who choose to access the services, it will be a great help for busy families.”

Ms Blanchard said the district’s school nurses will continue to be the first line of defense, but when a condition arises that would benefit from a medical intervention, that visit can occur right on the premises with less lost school time and no cost to the family.

“Of course, contagious students would be sent home, but many other problems can be addressed, and the student can return to class,” she added. “Adolescence is also a time when emotional concerns and physical symptoms can be related. Frequent headaches and stomach aches, for example, can be physical symptoms caused by emotional stress. The SBHC is equipped to help distinguish these nuances and get to the root of the issue. The APRN and Social Worker make a great team. I would encourage any middle school parent to visit the facility and meet the staff.”