Great Lakes Bay Health Centers to Open Health Services at Bay City Central High School
Bay City Central High School and Great Lakes Bay Health Centers (GLBHC) have received $75,000 in federal funding for a school-based health center at the high school.
The program is expected to have a positive effect on truancy and graduation rates, based on the success of a similar program at Saginaw and Arthur Hill High schools. They aim to provide physical and mental health services to students ages 5-21. The services will be available to all students, regardless of income or insurance levels. Services include primary and preventive care, comprehensive health assessments, vision and hearing screenings, medication management, immunizations, and mental health care.
What is not included, according to GLBHC Senior Vice President Angela Williams, are any kind of services related to abortions or family planning. The organization is prohibited by law from providing those services on school grounds.
The health center will make it easier for parents to get health care for their children without taking time off work, and students will attend school more regularly without having to worry about doctors’ appointments. Parents will need to provide consent forms for care, however.
The health center is expected to open by the beginning of 2024.