ZANESVILLE (Aug. 29, 2024) — The first school-based health center funded by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s historic investment in Ohio’s Appalachian communities is now open in the Maysville Local School District in partnership with Muskingum Valley Health Centers (MVHC).
The Maysville school-based health center is made possible through $283,500 in grant funds from the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative. Announced in March by Gov. DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, this historic $64 million investment includes dozens of projects to improve access to health care in 36 communities across 20 Appalachian counties in Ohio.
“For children to do their best, they need to feel their best,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “With healthcare services available right on school grounds, this center will not only support students’ health and well-being, but it will contribute significantly to their overall success in the classroom.”
Maysville’s school-based health center, located in the middle-high school building, offers comprehensive primary care and mental health services. The center, converted from unused classroom space, will operate daily during the school year and be accessible to all Maysville school district students, including preschool and elementary students, and staff.
“This school health center will make an incredible difference for our students and families. The clinic will help ensure that our Maysville students are as healthy as possible so they can be successful academically,” said Brian Blum, superintendent of Maysville Local Schools.
The center will be staffed by an advanced practice registered nurse and a licensed practical nurse, with support from a behavioral health provider. A mobile health unit will operate during the summer to ensure year-round access. Dental services will be provided for students at MVHC South, with transportation provided.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Maysville Local School District to bring these much-needed services directly to students during their school day,” said Dan Atkinson, chief executive officer, Muskingum Valley Health Centers.
This grant was made possible with support from the Appalachian Children Coalition and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
“The lack of access to convenient health services leads to any number of negative health and educational outcomes. The school-based health centers like this first one in Maysville schools will provide accessible services that are so desperately needed. We share Gov. DeWine’s commitment to our children and know that our many partners in this effort do, too,” said Randy Leite, PhD, executive director of the Appalachian Children Coalition.
The Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative will create 16 new school-based health centers, along with mobile care services, behavioral health services, dental services and mobile vision services.
The project incorporates built-in technical assistance support from Nationwide Children’s Hospital to ensure seamless implementation across all projects and sustained success. Nationwide Children’s, which just opened a Close To HomeSM Center in Zanesville, operates 17 school-based primary care clinics in central Ohio and has partnered with the state of Ohio, healthcare providers, nonprofit funders, school nurses and school districts across the state to support the development of school health models in over 38 Ohio counties, mostly in Appalachia.
“Many of these children don’t have a medical home or access to important primary care services,” said Mary Kay Irwin, EdD, senior director of school health services for Nationwide Children’s. “Nationwide Children’s has been operating school-based health services for nearly a decade and has seen the impact these services can make in schools. In 2023 alone, we had more than 14,000 primary care visits in our school-based health centers. We are thrilled to be a partner in this project, knowing firsthand that healthier students are better learners.”