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A School Health Center is a walk-in clinic, similar to those operated by a pharmacy walk-in clinic. It would be operated through a partnership with a community health organization. It would offer:

• Treatment for ear and sinus infections, colds, flu, strep throat, and other minor illnesses
• Treatment for minor wounds, such as non-severe cuts, blisters, and skin abrasions
• Screenings for dental, vision, hearing and other problems
• Immunizations for the flu, meningitis, shingles, and other illnesses
• Emotional and mental health consultations

With an emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and risk reduction, school-based health centers seek to improve students' overall physical and emotional health regardless of the ability to pay.

The National Associate of School Nurses and the School-Based Health Alliance recently issued a joint statement answering the question, “What happens when school nurses and school-based health centers work together?”  Their answer included the following,

• Students’ health, overall well-being, and academic success improve;
• Students acquire the health knowledge and skills they need to become independent in providing self-care;
• School absence rates decrease, and graduation rates increase;
• Student access to equitable health care increases, including health promotion, disease prevention, and illness management; and
• Continuity of care occurs when health professionals coordinate student health needs.  This frees educators to focus on teaching and allows parents/caregivers to remain at work.
   

A school health clinic is not a new concept. There are currently similar centers at Maine Township High Schools, Round Lake High School and Evanston Township High School as well as elementary schools and community centers. When considering the potential of creating a School Health Clinic, the District reviewed health services provided through the nurse’s office at both schools and saw a growing need, as well as considered the benefits of offering COVID vaccinations and testing during the pandemic. With the increased volume and function of a school nurse’s office, the benefits of offering vaccinations and testing for COVID coupled with the loss of attendance days for students who have not submitted required vaccinations or physical exams, it was deemed an important service to provide students. In addition, our staff will be able to use the services during the school day. A school health center will help achieve health equity among students.

A school health center makes going to the doctor as simple as walking down the hall, using the available time before and after school or during an SRT period. This keeps students and staff in school without needing to miss a class.
 

Any student currently enrolled in Glenbrook High School District 225 is eligible to visit the school-based health center. 

District 225’s agreement with Advocate Aurora Health indicates that the Glenbrook School Health Center will only provide services to students under 18 if they have received a signed parental consent form. There will be no exceptions to this operating guideline. The consent form is currently being reviewed by the school district's legal counsel and will be available to parents by the end of July.

To support students at Glenbrook North, a shuttle bus that serves a variety of purposes during the school day will be made available so that all students can access the Glenbrook School Health Center’s services.  Additionally, we will implement telehealth-based solutions to support students who are enrolled in other attendance centers (e.g., Glenbrook Off Campus, transition program).  The Glenbrook School Health Center will also be hosting events at Glenbrook North during peak times such as in the summer and before winter and spring sport seasons to offer athletic physicals.

Our team will also offer services for staff members enrolled in the school district insurance program. Services may include accessing biometric wellness screenings, general check-ups, and commonly used prescriptions for medication.

There are no out-of-pocket expenses for students to receive services in the Glenbrook School Health Center.
 

If a service is requested or needed by a student outside the scope of services offered by the Glenbrook School Health Center, the provider will offer a referral.  Advocate Aurora Health utilizes a referral database and an already established list of known providers in the area to provide a reliable referral for medical and mental health services not offered in the school health center.

The district anticipates construction will begin summer of 2022. The Glenbrook Health Center will likely open in the fall of 2022.

Anticipated hours include: Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Students will have the ability to schedule appointments before, during, and after school. It will be staffed by a health provider and all records would be maintained by the health provider and be subject to all privacy laws accrued to medical facilities, and therefore not available to school staff. Students would not be assessed a fee for the service; costs for staff would be billed through insurance.

A clinic staff member will be accessible in-person, by telephone, or by email to schedule an appointment. Students visiting their school nurse’s office may also be sent to the health center if their symptoms warrant a more timely visit.

When the Glenbrook Health Center is closed, students will have access to a telephone support line.
 

Initially, the school health center will be located at Glenbrook South but open to both North and South students and staff. GBS was designated after evaluating student financial assistance, historical trends, and current facility space. The center will be located directly across the hall from the current Nurse’s Office, offering continuity of service between both offices. 
 
An existing shuttle exists for students and will be available for GBN students to use to access the health center. The district anticipates that the success of the School Health Center at Glenbrook South will necessitate the addition of a site at Glenbrook North sometime in the future.

The health clinic will maintain its own files and system. The school district will not have access to the health center’s medical record system, and will only receive information in the aggregate (e.g., number of students seen by the type of visit). While the school district does maintain medical information for students through its nurse’s office and associated student health records, the school will not have access to health records of the walk-in health clinic.

The Board of Education at its meeting June 13, 2022 approved working with legal counsel to enter a five-year contractural agreement with Advocate Aurora Healthcare. Only employees of the agency would work in the health center.  The center will be operated with a minimum of: 

• An advanced nurse practitioner
• A social worker
• A medical assistant, and
• An executive assistant
   

The Glenbrook School-Based Health Center will have two expenses: 

• A one-time cost for the construction and purchase of furnishings for the health center space at Glenbrook South; and
• An annual expense to pay for the operating costs of the health center.

One-time costs:

Through the support of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and State Senator Laura Fine, the school district has been awarded a one-time grant for $250,000 for facilities and equipment expenses.  This funding was made possible through Congress's 2021 Community Project Funding process and was recently approved as part of the recent Omnibus spending bill.  

Additionally, the school district received unanticipated, unbudgeted reimbursements from FEMA for $1.09 M, for previously submitted COVID-19 expenses, which can supplement the one-time construction costs with a school-based health center.

Ongoing costs:

Except for providing general janitorial/maintenance and technology support, the costs of operating a health center are contained to general supplies and personnel. Most school health centers are operated as a partnership between the school and a community health organization.  It is estimated that operating a health center will cost between $350,000 and $450,000 per year.  This estimate has been developed after an extensive financial review of two, similarly-situated school-based health centers in our region.

In terms of financial responsibility, the school district would be responsible for funding the health services and/or securing operating grants from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the federal government, the State of Illinois, and community-based organizations.