GRPS health centers will reopen after being closed in 2020 due to a pandemic

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Around the time the pandemic hit in March 2020, Grand Rapids Public Schools closed all of its buildings, which included its three health centers.

Now, after 19 months, the centers are set to reopen on Monday October 4.

“We partner with Cherry Health to provide medical and behavioral health services here at Union High School. We also have similar clinics at Innovation Central and Ottawa Hills High Schools,” said Kim Baron, Director of Health Services at GRPS. “Students can also have access to an on-site therapist so they can do individual and group therapy.”

Each of the centers is located inside the buildings and mirrors real health clinics. The one at Union High School, which FOX 17 visited on Tuesday afternoon, had a waiting room, a few exam rooms and a dental office.

“Students can make an appointment for maybe a class period that they might find it a little easier to miss. We try to avoid some of the primary topics. But, if it’s a class where they can leave class, come to an appointment and then come back the next hour, that eliminates travel time, or parents don’t have to leave work to bring their children in for a visit. “, Baron said. “We need parental consent, but it’s easy to get.”

Baron said the clinics are open to students between the ages of 10 and 21, and they don’t have to be registered students at the school where the health center is located. It is open to all GRPS students and their siblings.

She said any student who has a need will be seen as long as they have parental consent.

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“Cherry Health, I know they work with insurance companies, but that will never be a barrier for students accessing care,” Baron said. “We try to remove all barriers, transportation, insurance, [and] inability to pay. None of the reasons would be a reason why students could not access services here.”

Baron added that soon health officials will be able to help students slow the spread of COVID-19 when they come to visit.

“It is a great need. We hear from families that it is difficult to find tests. Then when they get tested, the time to get results is slow,” she said. “We will have COVID tests here that students can access. Once the clinics are operational and we have enough vaccines, we can also offer the COVID-19 vaccine as well. »

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Maria J. Book