Waterford Public Schools & UCFS Healthcare Partner to open two School-Based Health Centers
Waterford Public Schools and UCFS Healthcare have partnered to open two School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) located at Waterford High School and Clark Lane Middle School. The partnership will provide comprehensive physical and behavioral health and well care to students who attend Waterford Public Schools. Both School-Based Health Centers will be available for all Waterford Public Schools’ students starting in the 2021- 2022 school year.
An APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) and two Behavioral Health Clinicians who are experts in adolescent health and employed by UCFS Healthcare will offer services. SBHC services and care will supplement and coordinate with services and care provided by private pediatricians. Services are billed to insurance carriers, and assistance is available for those who are not insured.
SBHC’s services will include yearly well-child examinations, vaccinations, sports physicals, and acute and chronic care visits with an emphasis upon prevention through early intervention and education. Behavioral Health will offer services in mental health assessments, substance use screenings and counseling.
Waterford Public Schools Superintendent Tom Giard stated, “We are thrilled to partner with UCFS Healthcare to bring vital services to our schools. Having SBHC’s at two of our schools will reduce barriers to health and through our collaboration offer a model of continuum of care necessary for students. Valuable time is not lost as students can be seen during the school day and return to their schedule as permitted.”
”We are very excited about expanding our partnership with Waterford Public Schools,” said Jennifer Granger, President and CEO of UCFS. “Our experience providing school-based services at Norwich Free Academy, Norwich Technical High School, Montville High School and in the Norwich Public Schools for the past several years has shown how value-added in-school access to medical and behavioral health services can be for active students and their busy families. We are a local health and human service agency who knows this community well and are proud to contribute further to the health and well-being of its youth through the UCFS SBHC at Waterford Public Schools.”
For more information on our School Based Health Centers please call 860-822-2803.