School Based Health Centers

As part of the UI Health Mile Square health system, school based health and wellness centers are located in Chicago Public and Contract Schools. The health centers staff provide a full range of physical, health education, behavioral health and wellness services to students to avoid health-related absences and achieve greater academic success.  School health centers provide a wide array of wellness and integrated healthcare services to families, community residents and school staff. The health centers staff includes licensed, registered and/or certified health professionals who are trained and experienced in community and school health. Furthermore, these individuals have knowledge of health promotion and illness prevention strategies for children, adolescents and adults. Clinical staff working in the health centers undergo an intense certification process prior to being hired within the UI health system. In addition, all staff are required to complete several learning modules to ensure compliance with all relevant federal/state laws but also that increases awareness and knowledge on issues that are designed to ensure staff have knowledge around issues relevant to the patients served. The learning modules cross a broad range of topics from ethics to practicing cultural humility.

The scope of services offered at these centers includes:

• Examination, diagnosis, and treatment of complaints of pain or illness identified by the student
• Referral for Emergency Treatment
• Routine school, sports and adult physical examinations
• Immunizations
• Diagnostic lab tests
• Ongoing care of chronic medical conditions
• Individual and group behavioral health assessments, support, education and treatment for students and families
• Male and Female Reproductive health care
• Anticipatory guidance, and wellness promotion for students and primary caretakers
• Classroom observations and interventions
• Collaborative Risk Assessments
• Faculty consultation and professional development
• Referral for specialty medical, social service or behavioral health care

Contact:

• Sheila Harmon, MSN, APN, CDE
  Director of Provider Practice
  312.355.5801
  saharmon@uic.edu

Each health center has an student/parent Advisory board that participates in the management of the health center program.   Representatives from the boards participate on the Governing Board of Mile Square Health Center, a Public Health System, Section 330 Community Health Center.  The local, school level boards help shape guide and support the school health centers in achieving its mission to promote health, prevent disease and reduce health disparities.