School Based Health Centers Making a Difference in Roscommon County

MidMichigan Health Services has been providing a limited school health services program since 2006 when they opened the first School Based Health Center (SBHC) at Houghton Lake High School. It was followed by a second limited program at Roscommon Middle School in 2007. With state funding, these two centers provide on-site primary health care, mental health services, health promotion/disease prevention, and education and referral services for medically underserved children.

The SBHC at Houghton Lake High School is being funded as a clinical program which will provide 30 hours of clinical services each week.  The SBHC at Roscommon Middle School is being funded as an Alternative Clinical Model providing 24 clinical hours per week. The health centers are staffed by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, as well as a mental health counselor, outreach nurse and support staff. The centers participate in Medicaid outreach and can enroll students or their families for Medicaid.

“Healthy students achieve at higher levels,” said Mike Flanagan, state superintendent of Public Instruction. “These child and adolescent health centers provide health care services and hope for students to get past their health challenges and focus on education. School health services have been a community priority for MidMichigan Health Service for several years and the achievement of receiving two of these grants in one funding cycle speaks to the collaborative energy that the community has demonstrated to support the health care needs of our students.” 

To learn more about the Roscommon County school-based health centers, contact Tracy Wilson, program coordinator, at (989) 422-2117.