Clinics are now open in three Cleveland Metropolitan School District schools, funded by a mix of city, state and federal grants.
The new clinics, operated by MetroHealth System, are located at Mound Elementary School, Glenville High School and Clara E. Westropp Elementary School. They provide primary care services including physicals, immunizations, mental health screenings and urgent care.
Katie Davis Bellamy, the executive director of community and corporate health for the MetroHealth System, said the clinics will fill gaps in health care for Cleveland students and their families. For example, families who rely on public transportation may face an arduous journey to reach an out-of-school doctor.
"We know that sometimes with transportation, you might miss a day of school for an appointment," she said. "For us, this is the opportunity that you're in and out in 20 minutes. We want to make sure that you're in the classroom ready to learn.
Bellamy said teachers and coaches know their students well and may notice persistent health issues. The speed and convenience of care may also allow non-obvious problems to be caught early, she said.
“It's even things [like] a sports physical where we might catch a heart defect," she said.
CMSD students, families and employees can receive services at the clinics, which also provide dental care and telehealth services.
The goal of the clinics is to make it easier for families to access health care by reaching young people at school, where they spend most of their time, Bellamy said.
Funding for the clinics came from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which awarded nearly $4.5 million to the program. Additional funds were made available through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund.
Cleveland City Council in February 2023 approved $3.7 million for the three new clinics, whose locations were determined based on need for health care resources, former CMSD CEO Eric Gordon said last year.
