Christian Hospital Foundation Funds Innovative School-Based Health Centers

Christian Hospital Foundation Funds Partnership with Carestl, Hazelwood and Riverview Gardens School Districts to Open Innovative School-based Health Centers.

St. Louis County, MO – Funding made possible by the Christian Hospital Foundation has enabled both the Hazelwood (HSD) and Riverview Gardens (RGSD) school districts to open an innovative School-Based Health Center (SBHC) on Oct. 29. Medical professionals from CareSTL Health will staff the facilities and provide a combined total of 2,500 students with a full range of health services, including medical, dental, specialty and behavioral health care. Washington University’s Health Equity Works (formerly For the Sake of All), also is a partner in this initiative and conducted SBHC needs assessments to better understand both high school’s unique needs and desired services.

 “School-based health care is a powerful tool for achieving health equity among children and adolescents who unjustly experience disparities in outcomes simply because of their race, ethnicity, or family income,” said Rick Stevens, Christian Hospital president. “Opening these school-based health centers is making good on our commitment to the community to address these disparities, and a key component in our Christian Hospital 2020 initiative of being more than just a medical service provider, but rather an integrated member of the community.”

In 2016, community stakeholders convened by Health Equity Works identified sustainable school-based health centers as an evidenced-based approach to improve significant health disparities in the St. Louis region. Research finds school-based health centers increase regular student attendance and enhance learning, leading to more successful educational and health outcomes for youth.

“We are excited to offer this innovative school-based health care resource for so many of our students,” said HSD Superintendent Dr. Nettie-Collins Hart. “This opportunity allows us to foster the education of the whole child, and we are grateful to our partners at the Christian Hospital Foundation, CareSTL Health, and Washington University’s Health Equity Works for building coalition and capacity in our schools, and helping to make this possible.”

RGSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Spurgeon added, “This school-based health center will be one of the best in the country. It will dramatically impact our ability to provide holistic education and care for the students we serve.”

“This is a wonderful collaboration that is long overdue,” said CareSTL Health CEO Angela Clabon. “We recognize there is a need for health care in our schools and we are here to provide those services to the students.”