By Lisa Richter, Neighborcare Health
More than 30 elementary, middle and high school health centers across King County are open to provide services to students during remote learning. School-based health centers have put extra safety measures in place to help protect patients and staff against COVID-19, such as requiring everyone to wear a mask, screening staff and patients for COVID-19 symptoms, and limiting the number of people in the clinics.
School-based health centers are full-service clinics staffed by health professionals that provide medical, mental health and dental services for students. Health center teams partner with school nurses, teachers and staff to provide safe, appropriate, culturally-sensitive health care to youth where they already spend much of their time—at school. Together, health centers and schools help improve students’ health and their ability to succeed in school and beyond.
Health services at school-based health centers include:
- Vaccinations, including flu shots
- Mental health counseling (help with emotional, social or behavior issues)
- Treatment of common injuries and illnesses (allergies, rashes, sore throat, etc.)
- ADHD evaluations and treatment
- Help with managing ongoing health conditions
- Annual well-child check-ups
- Camp or sports physicals
- Reproductive health services
- Dental services
- Health insurance enrollment assistance
- Crisis intervention
- Health education
- Assistance for families seeking a primary care provider and a health care home
Schedule an appointment
All Neighborcare school health centers opened on August 31. Medical and dental services are available by appointment in person or over the phone. At this time, mental health services are available over the phone only. Health centers are located in 15 public schools throughout Seattle and Vashon Island. Health center services and appointments are available to all students in Seattle Public Schools and to all students in public and private schools on Vashon. Find a school-based health center in your neighborhood and register your student for services. To make an in-person or phone appointment, please call your school-based health center or email SBHC@neighborcare.org.
Funding for the health centers is partially supported by the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy of the City of Seattle and the Best Starts for Kids investment of King County.
Additional resources
If you are concerned someone in your family has or may have been exposed to COVID-19, please call Neighborcare Health at 206.548.5710 BEFORE coming to a clinic. Free COVID-19 testing is available at our North Seattle, South Seattle, West Seattle and Vashon Island clinics. There are also several other free testing sites in Seattle and King County.
Up-to-date information about COVID-19 is available in multiple languages on the Public Health—Seattle & King County and the Washington State Department of Health websites. Additional resources, such as food, housing and childcare support, are also available to help families in our community.
This article was provided by Neighborcare Health, an SHA partner. Neighborcare Health is the largest provider of primary medical and dental services for low-income and uninsured families and individuals in Seattle. They serve more than 75.000 patients each year at nearly 30 medical, dental and school-based clinics. Find a clinic in your neighborhood. All are welcome at Neighborcare Health.