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Blue Ridge health wins $50,000 grant for school clinics

By Bill Moss, Published: December 10, 2012

Blue Ridge Community Health Services Inc. has received a $50,000 grant from the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation, Inc. to increase access to health clinics in Henderson County public schools.

During the 2011-12 school year 1,856 students used school-based clinics resulting in 11,283 visits. The grant will help provide an additional 3,165 students with access to SBHC services.
BRCHS operates clinics at Bruce Drysdale and Hillandale elementary schools, Apple Valley Middle School and North Henderson High School. These schools have dedicated clinics on-site that are staffed during school hours throughout the academic year, with one site, Bruce Drysdale, open year round. A need to link these services to additional schools was indentified in consultation with the Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS) at the following locations: Edneyville and Sugarloaf Elementary Schools, Hendersonville and Flat Rock Middle Schools and Hendersonville High School. Students from these schools will be transported to the nearest SBHC location.

"School Based Health Centers are an important method of health care delivery for children in Henderson County. They create an environment of service coordination and collaboration that addresses the health needs and well-being of students with health disparities or poor access to health care services," Blue Ridge medical director Dr. Paul Trani said in a news release. "Through the generosity of the Sisters of Mercy Foundation, more students will have access to medical and behavioral health services. This will contribute to systematic change in not only health care outcomes, but educational outcomes as well."