EVERETT—Community Health Center of Snohomish County (CHC) will be adding two new school-based health centers at Everett and Cascade high schools in mid-2025.
“This new partnership with the Everett School District is an incredible step in our goal to provide accessible, high-quality healthcare to community members of all ages” said Joe Vessey, Chief Executive Officer at CHC of Snohomish County.
In March of this year, Mountlake Terrace High School became the second school-based health center to open in Snohomish County. Community Health Center of Snohomish County opened the county’s first school-based health center (SBHC) at Edmonds School District’s Meadowdale High School on September 22, 2023.
Mountlake Terrace High School becomes the second school-based health center to open in Snohomish County with Everett and Cascade high schools on the horizon.@EdmondsSchools @EverettSchools @waOSPI@verdanthealth @lynnwood @cityofmlt @TerraceHawks@sfargon @SnoCoSheriff… pic.twitter.com/X59FMc6OEX
— Lynnwood Times (@LynnwoodTimes) March 15, 2024
“We are thrilled to expand our commitment to student well-being by partnering with CHC to bring comprehensive, on-campus health services to Everett and Cascade High Schools,” Dave Peters, Director of Student Support Services, Everett Public Schools. “This collaboration not only strengthens our community but also ensures our students have easy access to the essential healthcare they need to thrive—right where they learn.”
SBHCs provide age-appropriate primary care services, integrated behavioral/mental health services, and health education to students in school. All school-based health services are provided to students at no cost to the family and follow the same healthcare privacy rules as standard healthcare facilities.
By locating clinics on campus, SBHCs aim to reduce barriers making it easier for students to access healthcare services and health education.
Like the two previous high schools in the Edmonds School District, Everett and Cascade high schools were selected by CHC of Snohomish County in part due to their distance from existing community health center access points and the surrounding community’s lower income levels compared to other high schools in the district. An SBHC meets students where they are, in schools, without the stress of figuring out transportation or worrying about how they are going to pay.
Capital funds have been secured to pay for the necessary building updates to support CHC’s clinical services.
School-based health centers offer the following health services to students on campus:
- Illness or injury
- Wellness exams and preventative healthcare, including health education
- Chronic condition and medication management
- Mental, behavioral, and social-emotional health services
- Sports physicals
- Dental cleaning and treatment
- Insurance eligibility and enrollment assistance
- Referrals to other healthcare providers and specialists as needed
EDITOR’S NOTE: Article updated at 9:48 a.m., August 30, 2024, with statement from Everett Public Schools.
Author: Mario Lotmore
